Sports briefs: Marin Catholic stays in playoff mix with sweep of Terra Linda

Liam Smith pitched five solid innings to lead the Marin Catholic baseball team to a 12-4 victory against Terra Linda on Friday.

Smith limited the Trojans to three hits, three runs (one earned) and struck out nine batters to earn the victory.

MC (10-9, 8-4 MCAL) scored two runs in both the third and fourth innings then added three more in the fifth. TL scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to pull within 7-3 before MC tacked on five more in the top of the seventh.

Carter Capobianco, Hunter Valla, and Cooper Mitchell had two hits apiece to pace the Wildcats, who remained fourth in the MCAL standings. Carson Davis had three RBIs while Mitchell and Miguel Lopez drove in two runs apiece.

Thomas Martinez reached base three times for TL (0-15, 0-10), with a hit, two walks, an RBI, and a run.

College baseball

Former TL standout Zach Coleman allowed two hits over six innings of work as College of Marin defeated Yuba 15-0 in seven innings on Friday.

Coleman struck out seven and walked one as COM (24-10, 13-2 Bay Valley) reeled off its seventh consecutive win and remained in a tie for first with Los Medanos in the conference.

Former Tam standout Matteo Bellisimo also had a huge day with three hits and seven RBIs — including a three-run homer in the fifth inning. Derek Bartram (Novato) also homered and Zach Goldenberg had a home run among his three hits.

COM completes a backloaded schedule over the next two weeks with a three-game set against third-place Solano (12-3) followed by three games against Los Medanos during the final week of the season.

Prep softball

Jaela Brown had three hits out of the leadoff spot while Thomara Drummer had as many hits at the plate (two) as she allowed in the circle as San Rafael rolled to a 15-0 win in six innings against Piner on Friday.

Brown added a walk, two RBIs and scored twice filling in for Sophia Everett at the top of the order. San Rafael (13-2) got monster game out of its 3-4-5 hitters with Drummer (two hits, two RBIs, four runs), Angel Amesa (two hits, two RBIs, run), and Gabby Rodriguez (two hits, four RBIs, run).

Drummer struck out 12 hitters as she cruised through Piner’s lineup.

The Bulldogs — tied for second place in the MCAL — resume league play at home in Monday’s marquee game against fourth-place Marin Catholic.