Rivals open Mount Hamilton Division play against each other
MORGAN HILL — If there is any bright side to Sobrato’s loss in the Central Coast Section boys basketball playoffs Saturday, the Bulldogs will have three starting pitchers back for their first two Mount Hamilton Division baseball games.
They happen to be against Live Oak.
Morgan Hill’s two heavyweight programs will get at early taste of big-game atmosphere this week as they square off Wednesday at Sobrato High and Friday at Live Oak’s Sarich Field. The rubber match is scheduled to be played April 28 at Sobrato. All three games are slated for 3:30 p.m.
Sobrato, last year’s runner-up in the division, won the 2009 “El Toro Series” two games to one and will have back most of the starting rotation that helped the team reach the Division II championship game in 2009. Ryan Williams, Chris Bradley and Bryan Bradley have been warming up these past two weeks while leading the Bulldogs to the CCS quarterfinals in basketball.
Sobrato fell 74-53 to Archbishop Mitty.
“We’ve been throwing the ball around in between practices,” Bryan Bradley said. “We’ve been going to the cages, too, to get our swing back. Chris and Ryan got to pitch right away; I’m probably going to play infield.”
Both teams have been busy early on this spring prep season. Sobrato (0-1) lost its opener, 13-1, to Los Gatos in a rematch of last year’s Division II section final, and the Acorns on Saturday wrapped up a 2-1 finish in the Ted Tamone Memorial Tournament with a 7-2 victory over Fremont. Before that, Live Oak blasted Santa Clara 12-2 for win No. 1.
Cody Van Aken and Ryan Muir lead the Acorns with five hits apiece and seven RBIs combined. Teammate Ken Hall has driven in three runs and doubled twice, and Michael Schreiber has reached base seven times, including three hits. Junior Rich Martinez, a likely starter this week, has struck out six and allowed two earned runs in three innings pitched.
NOTE: Phone calls to both head coaches were not returned.
