Ryan Spohn had three doubles in four at-bats, and Nick Hoefling,
R.J. Kerr and Kekoa Bantilan provided just enough pitching Thursday
to help Morgan Hill prevail 9-8 over Blossom Valley B in a crucial
elimination game at the Bronco Sectional in San Jose
SAN JOSE
Ryan Spohn had three doubles in four at-bats, and Nick Hoefling, R.J. Kerr and Kekoa Bantilan provided just enough pitching Thursday to help Morgan Hill prevail 9-8 over Blossom Valley B in a crucial elimination game at the Bronco Sectional in San Jose.
Morgan Hill secured the tournament’s final invite to the July 26-Aug. 1 regional at PAL Stadium.
“It’s almost like having that free ticket before you get there,” said Morgan Hill manager Brian Bantilan, whose team returns to Herman Intermediate School to play nationally ranked Blossom Valley A at 5:30 p.m. Friday. “The kids can play, and they know that now.”
It was Morgan Hill’s second straight victory in the losers’ bracket; the locals beat South San Francisco 10-2 Monday. A win Friday will send Morgan Hill to the championship round against Los Altos/Mountain View A, which has to be beaten Saturday and Sunday. Blossom Valley A trounced Morgan Hill 15-5 Sunday.
“I would say they’re still the best team in the tournament even though they’ve lost to Los Altos/Mountain View,” Brian Bantilan said. “(Thursday’s) win was definitely the most important game this season for us in terms of making Regionals and trying to capture the flag Sunday.”
Morgan Hill never trailed Thursday but did have to rise up after Blossom Valley B tied it, 4-4, in the fourth inning. Morgan Hill responded with three runs in the fifth inning and two in the sixth, only to watch Blossom Valley B trim the lead to one heading into the seventh.
Kekoa Bantilan answered the bell in the final inning with a man on to preserve the win, ensuring Morgan Hill of another week of baseball.
