Bay Area Mercury News Sports

Not often does the departure of an assistant coach generate a reaction comparable to the situation developing along I-15 in northern Utah.

When Chris Burgess left the Utah men’s basketball staff last week, the alarm sounded.

KSL.com noted “a perception, even if it is false, that he bolted to get away from a proverbial sinking ship.”

The Salt Lake Tribune referenced “an explosion of concern … over a possible Ute basketball collapse.”

All because of an assistant coach who had been on the job for just two seasons? No, all because of Brigham Young.

Burgess moved 45 miles down the freeway for his second stint on BYU’s bench. (He was soon followed by Utah big man Keba Keita, who entered the transfer portal and committed to the Cougars.)

Had Burgess left Utah for any other school — for UCLA, perhaps, or Oregon — the move would have been cause for lukewarm concern in Salt Lake City. But because he left to join the utterest enemy of all, the decision sparked an uproar.

Welcome to a new chapter in Holy Lore, folks: Utah vs. BYU, the Big 12 era.

Granted, the Utes won’t officially enter their new home until Aug. 2, when 10 schools depart the Pac-12 for various leagues across the land. But the pressure generated by competing in the same conference as the Cougars is already mounting.

And college sports fans are the beneficiaries, because the only thing better than a good rivalry is a good intra-conference rivalry.

Utah and BYU haven’t competed in the same conference since the 2010-11 academic year, when both were members of the Mountain West.

Then Utah bolted for the Pac-12, and the Cougars became an Independent in football and a member of the West Coast Conference in basketball.

The rivalry continued, but without the extra sauce provided by membership in the same conference.

When they were separated, a Utah football victory over USC had zero impact on BYU’s postseason fortunes.

Starting in the fall, every result produced by one school will impact the other as they compete in the Big 12 race and jockey for bowl position.

That reality applies in basketball, as well, with conference tournament seeds and March Madness resumes.

Utah made expert use of the Pac-12’s revenue and reputation, upgraded its recruiting and left the Cougars behind, at least on the field.

The Utes won eight of nine football games against BYU during their life in the Power Five. They also played in two Rose Bowls and made six appearances in the end-of-season Associated Press top-25 poll.

Meanwhile, the Cougars struggled for traction as an Independent and appeared in the end-of-season AP rankings just twice.

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Collisions on the court were less frequent, more balanced — the Utes won four of seven head-to-head matchups — and far less significant.

The Cougars spent years searching for entry into the power conferences and found salvation in the Big 12, joining the conference last summer along with Houston, UCF and Cincinnati.

When Utah becomes a member of the Big 12 in a few months, everything about the rivalry will be amplified: the vitriol, the stakes, the repercussions, the elation and dejection.

Developments that seemed largely inconsequential when the schools were separated will feel momentous now that they are members of the same steel cage.

At this point, the advantages are with Utah football and BYU basketball, particularly after its impressive showing in the rugged Big 12.

Will those positions hold relative to each other once the schools are entrenched in the same league?

Could BYU’s football program regain the ground it lost over a decade?

Could Utah basketball somehow pull even with the Cougars?

It should be fascinating to watch from afar and riveting to experience on the front lines along the I-15 corridor.

*** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to pac12hotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716

*** Follow me on Twitter/X: @WilnerHotline

*** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.

The Hotline is delighted to provide Pac-12 fans with a regular dive into the recruiting process through the eyes and ears of Brandon Huffman, the Seattle-based national recruiting editor for 247Sports. He submitted the following report on May 8 …

QB dominoes

The week was filled with commitments, especially those sourced in the transfer portal. But the biggest news at the high school level was Washington landing its second quarterback commitment in the 2025 class.

The Huskies already held a pledge from Dash Beierly from Mater Dei, the prep powerhouse in Santa Ana. He originally committed to coach Jedd Fisch at Arizona and quickly switched to the Huskies once Fisch was hired.

On Tuesday, though, UW added a second passer in the class, this one in the form of the reigning Gatorade State Player of the Year for Hawaii: Treston Kini McMillan, a three-star recruit from Mililani High School.

With the Huskies losing Dylan Morris and Austin Mack and 2024 signee Dermaricus Davis entering the portal (more on him later), they needed quarterbacks — even after getting Will Rogers to transfer in from Mississippi State.

McMillan provides vital depth.

Portal movement

Davis, the former UW signee, didn’t go far. In fact, he’s that much closer to home. The Southern California product entered the portal after coach Kalen DeBoer left for Alabama, then took his name out of the portal when Fisch recruited him back to Seattle.

But after Demond Williams emerged from spring practice as a legitimate candidate for UW’s starting job, Davis re-entered the portal. He didn’t have to wait long for an option. UCLA pursued him immediately, and he committed.

Davis isn’t the only former Husky quarterback who found a home with an outgoing Pac-12 school.

Sam Huard, the former five-star prospect and Husky legacy who had one ill-fated start as a true freshman in 2021 — and was then beaten out by Michael Penix — announced this week that he’s headed to Utah.

Huard transferred to Cal Poly, where his former high school head coach, Sheldon Cross, was the offensive coordinator. After throwing 18 touchdowns last season, Huard put his name back in the portal.

A return to Washington was a possibility while Iowa, Northwestern and Connecticut also pursued Huard. He opted for Utah, where he’ll provide depth as a backup to starter Cameron Rising.

Safety at Stanford

The Cardinal picked up a pair of commitments this week — both from safeties and both from out of state.

Donte Utu, a three-star prospect from Punahou HS, the famed Honolulu power, pledged to the Cardinal on Monday. A day later, another three-star recruit, Omari Gaines from Newark, N.J., did the same.

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Ducks on defense

While Oregon had some significant pickups in the transfer portal, no commitment was bigger than that of four-star edge rusher Nasit Wyatt, from Mater Dei.

The Ducks have built a nice connection to the school that was once a USC pipeline. Wyatt will follow his former Monarch teammate, Aydin Breland, to Eugene.

Wyatt is a top-70 player in the 247Sports composite rankings, the No. 8 edge rusher nationally and the No. 5 recruit in California at any position.

Sun Devils stay hot

Arizona State’s torrid start to the 2025 class, particularly on the offensive line, continued with two more pledges.

The Sun Devils pulled in commitments from Long Beach tackle Maki Stewart and Salt Lake City tackle Rob Lapuaho. Both carry three-star ratings.

No assistant coach in Tempe has been on a tear quite like Saga Tuitele, the Sun Devil’s offensive line coach.

All in all, ASU has 13 commitments in the class of 2025 and the top-rated haul in the Big 12.

*** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to pac12hotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716

*** Follow Huffman on Twitter/X via @BrandonHuffman and support @AveryStrongDIPG

*** Follow Wilner on Twitter/X: @WilnerHotline

*** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.

SAN JOSE — James Lick baseball coach Rudy Iniguez always has to be prepared to fill holes in his lineup. Even in the middle of a game.

In his San Jose program, it is not uncommon for a player or two to leave before the final out.

In addition to baseball and schoolwork, some of his guys hold down jobs.

“Quite a few of my players are helping their families,” Iniguez said. “I probably have five or six of my players that are working and playing ball at the same time.”

James Lick’s Richard Vega (5), Nicolai Navarro (21) and Roberto Rodriguez (4) run to the dugout during a game at Mt. Pleasant on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) 

But the sudden absences haven’t stopped Lick from having a magical spring.

The school that was once home to Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Jim Plunkett has captured a league baseball championship for the first time since 1971.

When the Comets beat Independence on Monday, they clinched first place in the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s West Valley Division and have a shot to reach the Central Coast Section playoffs that start next week.

“It took a lot of time and a lot of hard work,” senior shortstop Enrique Mendez said. “It took a lot to get the guys out here and we managed to get all of our grades together. We never took a day for granted and our hard work has us where we are right now.”

When Iniguez was hired as a junior varsity coach at Lick nine years ago, the program did not enjoy much winning.

But that all changed when Iniguez took over the varsity in 2021.

In his first season, the Comets went 11-6, which marked the first time the program finished with a winning record since 2008. They had another winning season in 2022. This season has been the icing on the cake – 14-3 overall and 13-1 in league.

James Lick’s Enrique Mendez looks at the field from the dugout against Mt. Pleasant on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) 

Success at Lick rarely comes easily.

While strong high school programs typically have year-round players, Lick often has to recruit students from the school hallways who have never played.

Most years, the Comets don’t have enough players to field a JV team, which makes it difficult to develop their underclassmen.

This season, Lick has 13 players on the varsity, in addition to having a JV squad.

Senior right fielder Humberto Ulloa never played baseball before joining the varsity team two years ago. Ulloa, a football player, was asked by Iniguez to give baseball a shot after the coach saw his athletic gifts on the gridiron. 

“I started playing my sophomore year after football,” Ulloa said. “I didn’t get any playing time at first, but coach helped me out through batting practices and helped me with my fielding and conditioning off the field. Once I got a chance to prove myself as a junior, I officially became a starter.”

The coaches at Lick take pride in teaching and developing players.

Iniguez and assistant coach Vijay Punian understand that it is unlikely that a high-level transfer is coming their way. But they are just as satisfied knowing the talent on the team learned the game organically. 

”It means a lot that they just stuck with it,” Punian said. “And now to see these kids finally have success, it’s been great.”

James Lick’s Nicolai Navarro stands at bat against host Mt. Pleasant on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) 

Winning on the field has also translated to winning in the classroom. 

According to Lick principal Honey Gubuan, athletes at the San Jose school have historically struggled to keep up academically. But since Iniguez started coaching at Lick, he has only had one player deemed ineligible to play because of poor grades. 

“Our neighborhood and our students have their challenges,” Gubuan said. “The only way you can support them is to get to know them and know their families because at the end of the day, we want to cultivate good students and great human beings.”

What players and coaches at Lick revel in the most is how they’ve become their community’s team.

According to Niche.com, 52% of East San Jose residents are Hispanic. Lick’s baseball team reflects that statistic as most of its players are of Mexican origin. 

“Just seeing the team brings me chills because I’m Mexican,” Lick athletic director Anna Chavez said. “I know it means the world to our kids to see representation because it’s not a sport that’s predominantly Mexican. It’s an honor to see our team grow.”

Mendez wears elbow pads and shin guards that dawn the Mexican flag. The school itself is located in the Alum Rock district of San Jose, one of the oldest and most notable Mexican-American districts in the state.

“It means a lot,” Mendez said about representing his Mexican heritage during games. “There’s a lot of kids at our school who don’t speak English and who want to come out and play the game. To me, it’s all about having fun and meeting new people and getting to share the field with people of different cultures.”

James Lick’s Enrique Mendez pitches against Mt. Pleasant on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) 

Lick came close to winning a league title last season, but this year has been different. 

In December, Iniguez took his players inside the Lick gym and showed them the last dark green banner that was raised for winning a league title. 

It read, “League Champions baseball: 1971.”

“Coach just told us we could be the first team to win the league title in a long time,” senior center fielder Richard Vega said. “To be honest, I didn’t really believe it. Fifty years have gone by and there hasn’t been a James Lick team to win a league title. It’s just awesome to me that in our last year, we could be that team.”

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Though Lick averages more than 13 runs a game, small ball is the team’s identity. The Comets have an on-base percentage of .600 and a run differential is 166.

The team is led by Mendez, who has an absurd batting average of .721, to go along with 47 steals. The senior plans to play at Hartnell College in Salinas next season.

Winning a league title was the No. 1 goal this season for Lick. Qualifying for the CCS playoffs would cap off this historic season.

As a “C” division champion in the BVAL, Lick must beat the third-place Evergreen Valley from the BVAL’s “B” division in a play-in game on Friday to advance to CCS.  The Cougars finished the regular season 16-10, 13-5. 

“I want to see how far we can go in CCS because I think we have the team to do it,” Iniguez said. “That’s the focus until the end of the year for us.”

James Lick’s Nicolai Navarro bats while teammate Marcus Cohen warms up on deck against Mt. Pleasant on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)  James Lick’s Marcus Cohen smiles while running for first in the fourth inning during a game at Mt. Pleasant on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)  James Lick’s Richard Vega smiles in the fifth inning during a game at Mt. Pleasant on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)  James Lick’s Richard Vega smiles in the fifth inning during a game at Mt. Pleasant on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)  James Lick’s Enrique Mendez pitches against Mt. Pleasant on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) 

Ryan Boyajian, the boyfriend of one of “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” appeared Wednesday in a federal investigation into the bookie who received millions of dollars for gambling debts from Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani,

Mizuhara agreed on Wednesday to plead guilty to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani, according to federal prosecutors. The money was used to pay Mizuhara’s gambling debts to Orange County bookie Mathew Bowyer.

In a story on ESPN.com on Wednesday, Boyajian, who first appeared on “The Real Housewives of Orange County” in 2023, was revealed to have been the contact to whom Mizuhara wired funds to cover his losses on bets placed with Bowyer.

Boyajian and Bowyer, friends for years, shared a bank account for joint real estate projects, ESPN.com reported. Steven Katzman, Boyajian’s criminal attorney, told ESPN that the reality TV star is cooperating with federal authorities in the investigation.

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“Because there is an active investigation and Ryan is working with the authorities, he can’t confirm or deny what is going on,” Katzman told a reporter for the sports news website. “He is not a bookmaker or a sub-bookie.”

Boyajian joined “The Real Housewives of Orange County” in its 17th season when his girlfriend Jennifer Pedranti was cast as a new housewife on the long-running Bravo reality TV series.

While boyfriends and husbands typically play supporting roles on the “Real Housewives” Boyajian received more airtime than many thanks to the feelings other housewives had for him.

Housewife Tamra Judge, who returned to the series in 2023 after several years away, repeatedly told Pedranti that Boyajian’s track record with other women he dated made him an unworthy romantic partner. Pedranti regularly ended up in tears as Judge and other housewives encouraged her to leave him.

Filming for the 18th season of “The Real Housewives of Orange County” recently concluded, according to a post by Pedranti on her Instagram account.

And Boyajian seems certain to appear on the show, for which a season premiere date has not yet been announced. In April, they told People magazine they had just gotten engaged while on vacation in the Bahamas.

Baseball No. 11 San Ramon Valley 8, No. 4 De La Salle 2

For the second year in a row, the East Bay Athletic League baseball final will not include De La Salle.

Last year, Granada beat the Spartans in the semifinals.

Wednesday, San Ramon Valley toppled the Concord powerhouse, prevailing on the road behind Marco Jones’ two-run homer and two hits and three RBIs from Julian Cambra.

The Wolves scored two in the first, a run in the third and another in the fifth to take a 4-0 lead.

De La Salle responded in the fifth, scoring on an infield error, and made it 4-2 in the sixth on Sean Stafford’s RBI double.

But SRV added four in the visitor’s half of the seventh – two on Jones’ home run – to advance to the championship game Friday at Granada.

It’ll be a rematch of last season’s league final, which SRV won on its home field 3-2 in nine innings.

Charles Reiland pitched 4 ⅔ innings on Wednesday for SRV. Owen Morgan worked the next two and Nate Simonton got the final out as the Wolves improved to 16-9.

De La Salle fell to 17-6.

Palo Alto 3, Wilcox 0

Henry Harding pitched a no-hitter and Stanford commit Charlie Bates knocked in two runs to lead Palo Alto to a victory on the road over Wilcox.

The win pulled the Vikings even with Los Gatos and Los Altos atop the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division standings with one game to play.

On Friday, Palo Alto plays host to Wilcox and Los Gatos visits Los Altos.

If Palo Alto completes the sweep of Wilcox, it will finish tied for first with Friday’s Los Gatos-Los Altos winner.

Palo Alto is 15-11, 10-3. Wilcox slipped to 15-11, 7-6.

No. 1 Granada 9, Monte Vista 0

Granada certainly looked like the Bay Area News Group’s top-ranked team in this one, scoring seven runs in the third to turn the EBAL semifinal into a rout.

Parker Warner and A.J. Hattaway each pitched three innings and Luke Palma worked the seventh to keep visiting Monte Vista off the scoreboard.

Quinn Boyd, Mikey Boyd and Warner, a Stanford commit, had two RBIs apiece to lead the Granada offense.

The Matadors improved to 24-1. Monte Vista is 15-11.

Granada is 2-0 against SRV this season, winning 6-1 in league play on March 13 and 9-4 to capture the Bishop Gorman Invitational championship on April 6 in Las Vegas.

No. 2 Valley Christian 13, No. 9 St. Ignatius 2

After the teams split two games last week, each winning on the other’s field, Valley Christian made sure the comforts of home meant something this time.

St. Ignatius scored in the top half of the first.

From there, it was all Valley Christian as the Warriors belted four home runs – two by Tatum Marsh – to advance to the West Catholic Athletic League tournament final.

The Warriors will play host to Serra on Thursday.

In addition to his home runs, Marsh had a triple and six RBIs in four at-bats. Nathan Choi and Brock Ketelsen also homered for Valley as the Warriors improved 25-4.

Kole Laubach, who pitched a perfect game to beat SI 3-0 on Friday, allowed two runs and five hits in six innings on Wednesday.

SI dropped to 18-9.

No. 3 Serra 13, No. 14 Archbishop Mitty 10

In a wild game in San Mateo, host Serra rallied from an 8-1 deficit to turn back Mitty in this WCAL semifinal.

Serra scored five in the bottom of the second to cut the deficit to 8-6, added one in the fourth to make it 8-7 and took the lead for good with four in the fifth.

Josiah Rodriguez had a home run among his two hits and knocked in six runs and Joey Damelio had three hits and scored four runs to lead the Padres.

Serra improved to 22-5. Mitty is 16-12-1.

Softball No. 1 St. Francis 13, St. Ignatius 0 (5 innings)

Brooke Wiegand homered and had two RBIs and Kate Munnerlyn had two hits and four RBIs to lead St. Francis to a victory over St. Ignatius in a WCAL game.

The Lancers also got two hits and three RBIs from Shannon Keighran, who dominated in the pitcher’s circle as well. She allowed one hit and struck out seven.

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St. Francis is 23-0, 8-0. SI is 10-10, 4-5.

No. 4 Willow Glen 2, Live Oak 0 (8 innings)

Alanna Clincy and Katelynn Dilbeck each drove in runs in the visitor’s half of the eighth and Clincy pitched a one-hitter with 15 strikeouts as Willow Glen won to remain tied for first with Gilroy in the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s Mt. Hamilton Division.

Willow Glen improved to 20-6, 13-2. Live Oak is 5-17, 1-14.

No. 6 Gilroy 10, Christopher 0

Dani Wilson had two hits and three RBIs and Andrea Alvarez, Bella Sousa and Bam Mendoza each drove in two runs as Gilroy breezed past Christopher in non-league play.

Gilroy is 20-6. Christopher fell to 12-9.

On Friday, Gilroy closes out BVAL Mt. Hamilton play at home against Santa Teresa and Willow Glen visits Westmont.

If Gilroy and Willow Glen, they tie for first.

LOS GATOS — First place was on the line and the two pitchers faced off in a duel that won’t be soon forgotten.

Los Altos held a tenuous one-run lead heading to the bottom of the seventh and came within millimeters of pulling off the win. But a throw for a game-ending and league-championship-clinching double play on Wednesday hit the dirt and rolled away and two Los Gatos runners crossed the plate.

Game over. Final score: Los Gatos 2, Los Altos 1.

“A great game between the two top teams in the league,” Los Gatos coach Mike Minkel said. “Games like that, runs are hard to come by. Two horses on the mound doing what they’ve been doing all year.”

Los Gatos’ Sage Romero (6) bunts the ball against Los Altos in the seventh inning at Los Gatos High School in Los Gatos, Calif., on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) 

As a result, Los Gatos, Los Altos and Palo Alto go into the final day of the regular season tied for first place in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division standings at 10-3.

Los Gatos (22-4) will play at Los Altos and Palo Alto will host Wilcox on Friday.

Los Altos took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Kai MacQuiddy hit a one-out single, went to third on Emmett Heath’s hit-and-run single to right, and scored on an error.

Cash carried the one-run advantage into the bottom of the seventh, but issued a leadoff walk to Donovan Freed. Jayden Thomas pinch ran for Freed and Brayden Smith laid down a perfect bunt along the first-base line. Los Altos had elected not to have its first baseman charging, so Cash had some distance to go to pick it up. His throw to first was too late to get the out.

Sage Romero then bunted the runners over to second and third. Rowen Smith was walked intentionally to set up the double play and Santino Nanez hit a sharp grounder to the Los Altos second baseman, who flipped to the shortstop for one out, but the hurried throw to first was just a little off target.

Los Gatos’ Ethan Williams (18) pitches against Los Altos in the fourth inning at Los Gatos High School in Los Gatos, Calif., on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) 

Los Gatos sophomore Ethan Williams pitched a three-hitter, did not walk a batter, struck out six and induced 12 ground-ball outs to improve to 10-1 on the season with a 1.33 ERA.

“I knew early he had his good stuff,” Minkel said. “First six batters of the game pounded the ball right into the ground. If we tied the game and didn’t go ahead we were going to run him back out there. For where he’s at he’s incredibly polished. He knows how to pitch. He studies the game, studies opposing hitters. He studies video. He does all the things you need to do to be exceptional at this level.”

Williams was asked what was working for him:

“Sinker, changeup plays off that, just a little bit slower,” Williams said. “A cutter that moves the other way than the tendencies of the changeup and a breaking ball.”

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Los Altos junior southpaw Sky Cash threw a four-hitter and came oh-so-close to a memorable complete-game shutout, division-clinching victory.

“It’s really hard to say one run’s all we’re going to need,” Los Altos coach Gabriel Stewart said. “But Sky Cash almost made it hold up.”

Los Altos (13-11) started the season 1-6, but swept Palo Alto the first week of league play and took off from there, staying in first place the duration of the divisional season.

“All credit to the team,” Stewart said. “They stuck with it and we’re still in position to play for something pretty meaningful. Other teams, they get that kind of start, they don’t have the mental resilience and strength to get through it. These guys are tough. They’re going to keep on working hard and we’re going to bounce back.”

Los Altos’ Sly Cash (3) pitches against Los Gatos in the fourth inning at Los Gatos High School in Los Gatos, Calif., on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)  Los Gatos’ Carter Johnstone (2) slides into third as Los Altos’ Quinn Chiochios (8) catches the ball in the fourth inning at Los Gatos High School in Los Gatos, Calif., on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)  Los Altos’ Brennon Holleb (6) fields a ground ball against Los Gatos in the third inning at Los Gatos High School in Los Gatos, Calif., on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)  Los Gatos’ Santino Nanez (1) fields a ground ball against Los Altos in the third inning at Los Gatos High School in Los Gatos, Calif., on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) 

A second straight victory in Colorado has the Giants on the brink of sweeping their first series of the season.

Beating the woeful Rockies again Thursday would be a welcome way to end this 10-game road trip which the Giants started by anemically losing the first two of three in Boston before getting swept in a four-game visit to Philadelphia.

Michael Conforto got Wednesday night’s 8-6 win started by opening the second inning with a first-pitch home run into Coors Field’s right-field seats. That ignited a six-run rally by — let’s double check — yes, an aggressive Giants squad that failed to score that many runs in any of its previous 14 games.

This marked only the fourth time this season the Giants (17-21) have won back-to-back games. Thursday’s 12:10 p.m. PT start pits the Giants’ Keaton Winn (3-4, 4.41) against Cal Quantrill (1-3, 4.31).

After beating the Rockies 5-0 on Monday behind Kyle Harrison’s seven shutout innings, the Giants continued to make offensive strides, and manager Bob Melvin wasn’t going to credit that to playing in a hitter-friendly, mile-high ballpark.

“Our bats have been better this series. I’ve never going to discount that,” Melvin told reporters after the game.

Colorado fell to an MLB-worst 8-28 with its ninth loss in the past 10 games; the Rockies have been swept in four previous series this season. The Giants return to Oracle Park on Friday night for a nine-game homestand, with three-game sets against the Cincinnati Reds, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Rockies again.

Wednesday’s six-run rally matched the Giants’ most runs in an inning since a March 30 win in San Diego, their third game of the season.

After Conforto turned on an inside fastball for his sixth home run of the season (and first in 13 games), the Giants got three consecutive singles, from Matt Chapman, Mike Yastrzemski and Heliot Ramos, the latter of whom got called up from Triple-A Sacramento for not just his season debut but his initiation to hitter-friendly Coors Field.

Ramos’ opposite-field, RBI single scored Chapman for a 2-0 lead. Showing off the hitting prowess that had him batting .296 with eight home runs and 21 RBI in Sacramento, Ramos fell behind 0-2 in his initial at-bat in Colorado, then he fouled off a 1-2 fastball before lining a 94.2-mph sinker to right field.

Ramos served as the designated hitter as the Giants placed slumping slugger Jorge Soler on the 10-day Injury List with a shoulder strain. Ramos had hit just .158 in big-league cameos the past two seasons covering 34 games.

The Giants’ lead climbed to 3-0 when Yastrzemski dove head-first to safely score on Nick Ahmed’s surprising one-out bunt. Jung Hoo Lee made it 4-0 by drilling a slider 105 mph off the right-field wall and driving in Ramos. A two-out, two-RBI flare by LaMonte Wade Jr. pushed the Giants’ lead to 6-0, and Conforto followed with a single for his second hit of the inning, before Chapman flew out to end the long-sought rally.

Another run came the next inning, when a Blake Sabol double scored Ystrzemski for a 7-1 lead.

That proved a wide enough berth to improve Giants starter Jordan Hicks’ record to 3-1.

“This is his first time starting here, so the breaking balls are always, kind of, see how it goes when you’re here and if you have to make any adjustments with it,” Melvin said. “So, yeah, maybe not his best command. He threw a lot of pitches (92), but at the end of the day, he gives us five solid innings and gets the win.”

The first hit Hicks allowed was a 420-foot triple to Brenton Doyle off the center-field wall, on an 0-2, two-out fastball in the bottom of the second; Doyle would score on a passed ball charged to catcher Blake Sabol, for a 6-1 deficit.

Hicks did his share to protect that lead, though he had to work out of jams. Back-to-back strikeouts stranded two Rockies in the fourth, and after Colorado scratched across two runs in the fifth, Hicks induced an inning-ending double play. That ended his night (three runs, seven hits, five strikeouts, two walks in 92 pitches).

“Wasn’t my favorite outing, but we battled, made some good pitches toward the end, got the (fifth inning) double play,” Hicks told reporters in the clubhouse. “… I’m not too down on myself. We got the win. Hopefully we get the sweep tomorrow.”

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Reliever Sean Hjelle yielded two hits to the four batters he faced before Taylor Rogers allowed an RBI single to Charlie Blackmon, cutting the Giants’ lead to 7-4 through six innings. The Giants took an 8-4 lead in the eighth, when Chapman’s infield single prompted an errant throw to bring in Conforto, who reached on a nine-pitch, two-out walk.

Giants closer Camilo Duval walked the first two batters he faced in the ninth. Then he induced a double-play grounder, and that involved him rushing over to cover first base for the second out. But Duval’s next pitch resulted in an Ellias Diaz home run, cutting the Giants’ lead to 8-6. That’s as close as Colorado could get, as Duval got Brendan Rogers to ground out to Nick Ahmed to end it.

Conforto finished 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. Sabol went 3-for-4 with an RBI double. Yasztrzemski was 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored.

SAN JOSE — The principal in the middle of the firestorm that led to Landon Jacobs losing his job as Branham High’s athletic director is leaving the San Jose school. 

Lindsay Schubert has been hired as an assistant principal at Los Gatos High, effective July 1, the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District announced at its board meeting on Tuesday.

Schubert has been under fire by the Branham community for her role in Jacobs and assistant athletic director Heather Cooper being removed from their positions.

Jacobs was dismissed this spring, Cooper last fall.

Schubert did not respond Wednesday to a request for comment.

Supporters of the athletic administrators filed a formal complaint last month to the district office, alleging that Schubert fostered a culture that did not support high school sports and called for her dismissal. The complaint also demanded that Jacobs and Cooper be reinstated to their roles in Branham’s athletic department. 

Campbell Union High School District superintendent Robert Bravo had 30 days to formally address the complaint, which was filed April 4, in order for any of the allegations to be added to a school board agenda.

He submitted a response this week, sources close to the situation said. 

“Yes, we received the response, and it essentially very lightly touches on the Cooper and Landon issues and is sufficient in some areas and extremely insufficient (in) others with regard to the rest of the responses,” a source who was among the group that filed the complaint said in a text message.

Jacobs and his supporters have been waiting to see if details in the complaint will convince the school board to change its mind about the dismissals of Branham’s athletic leaders.

Schubert’s departure could shake up the situation. 

“Time will tell if the new developments will impact the new AD position,” Jacobs told the Bay Area News Group in a text message on Wednesday. 

Some of Jacobs’ supporters suggested that he should apply for Schubert’s position as principal. But Jacobs, who amid the ongoing saga was voted Branham’s Teacher of the Year by his peers last month, said that is unlikely.

“My passion is educationally-based athletics,” Jacobs said. “My hope is that Branham gets an outstanding principal that can effectively meet the needs of our students and the Branham community.”

Schubert is in her second school year at Branham after previously being an assistant principal at Del Mar.

In announcing her hiring at Los Gatos, that school district’s assistant superintendent, Heath Rocha, said during this week’s board meeting, “Lindsay has vast experience in education and leadership, including beginning her teaching career at Los Gatos High School in 2003.”

Jacobs’ situation has led to his supporters passionately speaking in his defense at the past three Campbell Union school board meetings.

Last week, those who spoke included: Jacobs’ wife and Branham girls water polo coach Brittney Ames; his ex-wife Lisa Jacobs; former Branham girls basketball coach Heather Queyrel and members of the Branham sports community.

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Jacobs reapplied for his old position last month but was told recently by a district HR officer that he was not eligible to be a candidate because of rules in the teachers’ collective bargaining agreement.

Jacobs’ supporters believe he could get his old job back if the school board trustees agree to address the complaint’s allegations and rule that he was unjustly dismissed.

The supporters also are awaiting a response from their April 10 public records request for access to all written communication and emails between Bravo, Schubert and members of the board about the athletic director situation, including any investigation into allegations that Jacobs and Cooper mishandled funds.

“The Branham community intends to continue to fight this, show up to support Landon when he receives his Teacher of the Year award at the next board meeting and push for transparency in every aspect of this unjust firing,” a source said in an email Wednesday to the Bay Area News Group.

Jami Ganz | New York Daily News

Gisele Bündchen thinks Netflix fumbled the ball with the way stars joked about the end of her marriage to Tom Brady during the streamer’s “irresponsible” live roast of the retired football icon.

The Brazilian supermodel, 43, thought “The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady” — which took place on Sunday and involved the likes of Kim Kardashian, Kevin Hart, Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman and more — featured “disrespectful” jabs.

Bündchen is “deeply disappointed by the disrespectful portrayal of her family on Sunday evening’s roast show,” an insider told People. “As always, [Bündchen’s] priority is to support her children who were affected by the irresponsible content that was broadcasted.”

The former Victoria’s Secret Angel and former New England Patriots quarterback, 46, tied the knot in 2009 and “amicably finalized” their divorce in October 2022. Together, they share kids Benjamin, 14, and Vivian, 11. Brady also shares 16-year-old son Jack with “Blue Bloods” star Bridget Moynahan.

Part of Bündchen’s reaction stems from the timing of the special, and hearing “her life being joked about” on the heels of “devastating floods” that impacted her home state, Rio Grande do Sul, as she’s been “concerned about family affected.”

Hart, 44, said in one joke that while Brady “f–ed” Pats coach Bill Belichick “good” when he ditched the team for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bündchen “f–ed that karate man.” The latter reference was one of multiple raunchy nods, by Hart and others, to Bündchen’s current boyfriend, jujitsu coach Joaquim Valente.

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Comedian Nikki Glaser told Brady that he has “seven rings — well, eight, now that Gisele gave hers back.”

“The only thing dumber than saying yes to this roast was when you said, ‘Hey babe, you should try jujitsu,’” Glaser continued, before offering up her own NSFW punchlines about Bündchen and Valente.

Tom Segura and Bert Kreischer teamed up to say that “the only difference between Tom Brady and Hitler is that Hitler stuck with his wife until the end.”

In March of this year, Bündchen said any rumors she cheated on Brady were “a lie,” and that she and Valente only got together once she was single.

©2024 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By JAMI GANZ | jganz@nydailynews.com | New York Daily News

And it’s another touchdown for Travis Kelce’s television career as the Super Bowl champ joins the cast of Ryan Murphy’s “Grotesquerie” in his first major acting role.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end, 34, will act alongside Niecy Nash-Betts, Courtney B. Vance and Lesley Manville in the FX horror show. Deadline was the first to report the casting.

Kelce on Tuesday night shared Nash-Betts’ video from the set. In it, the “Claws” alum, 54, says, “Guys, guess who I’m working with on ‘Grotesquerie,’” then pans to the laughing NFL star.

“Steppin’ into new territory with Niecy!” says Kelce.

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The role isn’t the first foray into acting for the “New Heights” podcast co-host. He previously checked that off his career bucket list with a cameo in 2020’s “Moonbase 8,” followed by a hosting gig at “Saturday Night Live” early last year.

Though he’s now in a globetrotting love story with Taylor Swift, Kelce also previously starred in the short-lived reality dating series, “Catching Kelce.”

The news comes on the heels of Kelce being tapped to host “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” — Amazon Prime Video’s spinoff of “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?”

“Grotesquerie” is one of nine upcoming projects from Emmy winner and master executive producer Murphy, 58. The brain behind “Glee” and “American Horror Story” is also currently working on the series “American Sports Story,” a miniseries based on “A Chorus Line” and another limited series about German starlet Marlene Dietrich.