Patterson defeats Livingston, returns to postseason despite an 0-9 start

LIVINGSTON — After a one-year hiatus, the Patterson High baseball team is back in the playoffs thanks to a 3-0 victory over Livingston on Thursday that clinched at least a third-place finish in the Western Athletic Conference.

This after the Tigers began the 2009 campaign with a 0-9 record.

“A lot of people tried to write us off after the bad start we had,” Patterson’s David Gonsalves said. “We knew that we were a better team than that.”

Patterson pitchers Tyler Bettencourt and Brett Wheeland combined to shut out the Wolves on Thursday, scattering five hits over seven innings.

Anthony Sanchez paced the Tigers offensively, going 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs. Nate Mayoral added a double.

Titles for the three Sac-Joaquin Section Division V leagues have been decided, with Central Catholic (19-6 overall, 11-2 WAC) taking the WAC’s top billing.

The WAC gets three berths, however, with Patterson (9-15, 8-5) and Hilmar (9-14, 7-6) having locked up the final two spots. The rivals play twice this week to decide the seedings.

“This is obviously going to be an important week of baseball for our team,” Patterson coach Benji Lozano said. “There is a lot of hard work still ahead, and we have to be ready to face whoever gets thrown our way, starting with Hilmar.”

Patterson defeated Hilmar 4-3 in extra innings in the teams’ first meeting this season March 26.

Bettencourt tossed eight innings in the late-March meeting, allowing six hits, striking out five and walking one. Sanchez added two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored.

“The seniors on the team wanted to get to the playoffs bad,” Wheeland said. “This is our last year, and we knew that we were going to have to pick it up if we wanted to get back (to the postseason).”

Patterson followed its nine-game skid with a five-game winning streak, and although the Tigers later dropped five straight over spring break, they have again regrouped, taking three of their last five.

Hilmar, meanwhile, has won three of four, including a 7-6 victory over Central Catholic in Modesto on Thursday.

“We have shown that when we play together, we are capable of winning games in bunches,” Lozano said. “That’s what this time of the season is all about.”

• Contact Marc Aceves at 892-6187 or marc@

pattersonirrigator.com.