The Hillsdale High baseball team emerged from its midseason doldrums just in time to make the Central Coast Section playoffs.

But the visiting Knights lost 3-0 to an even hotter team in a Division II opener on Thursday afternoon.

Hillsdale (17-10) was riding a four-game winning streak going into the playoffs, with shutouts over crosstown rival Aragon in its last two regular-season games.

No. 3 seed Monterey (24-4) extended its winning streak to seven games and has won nine of its last 11.

Hillsdale starter Robbie Foiles (4-3) allowed three runs, two earned, in 5 2/3 innings.

Bryce Smith led the No. 14 seed Knights offensively with two hits, including a double.

The Knights blew several scoring chances, including a first-and-second no-outs situation in the third, a runner at third with two outs in the fourth, and a first-and-third, one-out situation in the seventh.

Monterey shortstop Bryce Henry saved a run with a diving catch, robbing Hillsdale cleanup hitter Austin Parker of a hit for the final out in the fourth—a play that typified the Knights’ day. 

“We had some good chances, we hit the ball hard but there were a lot of line-drive outs, a lot of really nice plays,” said Hillsdale coach Neal Donohoe, whose team had hoped to replicate its stunning run to the Division III championship game as the No. 16 seed a year ago.

The Knights made the playoffs after a midseason slump in which they lost six of eight games. Five of those losses were decided by two runs or less.

“I think we showed a lot of heart,” Donohoe said. “We got off to a really good start and then we struggled. We lost a lot of close ballgames but we didn’t quit.

 “Today was just one of those days when things didn’t go our way, but I was really proud of the way we played. We played hard and we played well.”

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Monterey 3, Hillsdale 0 

H -- 000 000 0 – 0 8 1

M -- 001 011 x -- 3 6 0

WP: Edwards. LP: Foiles.

2B: Barden, Sato (H); Henry, Edwards (M). 2 hits: Smith (H); Edwards (M).

Records: Hillsdale 17-10. Monterey 24-4.