By Pete Borello
 Los Altos High’s Erik Johnson, above, pitches against Milpitas Friday. He had 13 strikeouts in the win. |
The playoffs are nearing, which means Erik Johnson is peaking.
Los Altos High’s ace pitcher struck out 13 batters, allowed three hits and pitched all eight innings of Friday’s 1-0 win at Milpitas.
“It’s the most dominating he’s been in his starts,” coach Sandy Wihtol said. “It was a good performance. Erik always gets better as the season progresses, and he seems to have it going now.”
Just in time for the league playoffs, which began this week. The Eagles (8-6 league, 17-8 overall) secured a berth in the SCVAL De Anza Division Championship Tournament by winning both games against Milpitas last week.
Third-seeded Los Altos opens the four-team tourney against No. 2 Los Gatos. The Eagles were scheduled to begin the best-out-of-three series Tuesday at Los Gatos, then host the Wildcats at 3:30 p.m. today and return to Los Gatos Friday, if necessary. The winner moves on to the finals next week against top seed Wilcox or No. 4 Homestead.
Johnson (5-3) is slated to pitch today’s game. The senior has won his last three starts and lowered his ERA to a team-best 1.45 with Friday’s performance.
The Eagles’ lone run came with one out in the eighth when they got two of their three hits against a Milpitas team they crushed 13-1 two days earlier. Pinch hitter Karlo Imper-Velutic hit a shot down the left-field line for a double and Danny Auerbach worked the count to 3-2 before singling to center, scoring Imper-Velutic.
Johnson gave up an infield hit in the bottom of the eighth, but catcher Danny Young threw him out at second to end the threat.
“It was a great throw,” Wihtol said.
In the April 23 home rout of Milpitas, Johnson blasted two homers and had five RBIs. Lane Cowan also homered. Connor Smith went the distance, striking out 13, to run his record to 5-2.
Los Altos opened the week with a dramatic non-league win over rival Mountain View. With his team down a run in the seventh, Johnson belted a walk-off three-run homer to lift the Eagles to a 4-2 victory.
Scott Russell earned the win, striking out six in a complete-game effort. James Sierras (six strikeouts) took the loss.
Contact Pete Borello at peteb@latc.com.
