For the first time in three years, the Wilcox High School baseball program returned to the friendly confines of Santa Clara’s famous Washington Park. The Chargers are hosting their annual preseason Hazlett Tournament, but due to the city of Santa Clara’s fee increase that began in 2023, Wilcox had been previously unable to host their tournament at the iconic venue.
With the fees, the Chargers have returned this season. However, they do so with heavy hearts as they play this season without one of their own. During the offseason, Wilcox lost starting catcher Isaiah Mendoza in a tragic car accident that left the Chargers community deeply saddened.
Wilcox has since retired Mendoza’s number six jersey. No Chargers baseball player will ever wear the number again. On Tuesday, March 3, Wilcox hosted Monterey in the first game of their tournament. During a pregame ceremony, the Monterey team presented Wilcox with a No. 6 arm band.
“The pregame ceremony with Monterey and Coach Michael Groves was very special, not just to our team, but to myself as coach,” noted Wilcox Head Coach Matt Huth after a marathon 14-inning game that ended in a 3-1 victory for the visiting Monterey Dores. “I first met Mike 15 years ago and got to hear his story of number 16, Frank Sollecito. I called Mike after the passing of Isaiah Mendoza and asked him if I could do a similar tradition here at Wilcox to honor Isaiah. Mike was honored to be a part of it and ordered all of the wristbands for our players.”
“We gathered in the middle of the infield to share some words about who Isaiah was as a person and what he meant to the game of baseball and for every other person he came into contact with in life outside of baseball,” continued Huth. “For both teams to wear the number six out there on the field at the same, it was pretty cool to see.”
It was also pretty cool to see a game worthy of his memory, a game in which the Chargers’ grit was on display, pitchers and catchers (Mendoza’s position), dominating the game on the defensive side of the diamond.
Wilcox starting pitcher Rommel Carrasquilla Cruz gave up a single run in the first inning and then shut down the Dores the rest of the way, six shutout innings from the second through the seventh. Gabriel Razon Barragan took over and contributed a San Francisco Giant, Yusmero Petit-like appearance in relief, throwing six shutout innings before coming off the rubber. Isaiah Mata was a brick wall behind the plate for the Chargers, sitting in the crouch for nearly four hours.
Down 1-0 in the fifth, Gilbert Padilla delivered Wilcox their offensive highlight with a clutch two-out RBI single to tie the game 1-1. The score remained the same until Monterey finally broke the tie by scoring twice in the top of the 14th. Huth and the Chargers didn’t get the result they were looking for to open the tournament, but cherished being back at Washington Park.
“Playing at Washington Park again was really special. Seeing grandstands full of parents cheering on their kids, it was a joy to hear,” chimed coach Huth. “Just all the memories from past games there and all of the institutional knowledge from Santa Clara greats who come back to tell the stories, it was a special atmosphere.”
