With title already in bag, Live Oak edged Pioneer and Mount
Pleasant
San Jose – The league champion Live Oak softball team is on a roll as the regular season comes to a close.
The Acorns, who last week clinched the Blossom Valley Athletic League Mt. Hamilton Division title, extended their winning streak to eight by earning one-run victories Tuesday and Wednesday over Pioneer and Mount Pleasant.
Live Oak wraps up its regular season with its Senior Day celebration at 3:30pm Friday against Piedmont Hills and will hope for a strong placement when the Central Coast Section seeding committee meets Sunday.
In the win over Pioneer, both pitchers ruled the first three innings and it was scoreless. But the Acorns got rolling in the fourth.
Kelly McDonald led off with a triple and scored when Kourtney Kientzy reached on an error. Jenna Robertson reached on a bunt and Sabrina LaCorte lined a singled to score Kientzy. Tanya Ferry followed and hit a ball to the shortstop that scored Robertson for a 3-0 lead.
The Acorns threatened again in the sixth, putting two runners on with one out, but couldn’t capitalized.
In the bottom half of the inning, Pioneer looked to take advantage. The Mustangs drew a leadoff walk and that runner moved up on a groundout and scored on a single up the middle. After another single and a walk loaded the bases with one out, Pioneer got another run across on a sacrifice fly, but the final batter of the inning grounded out to stop the threat.
The Mustangs again were in position to tie when they got a two-out single in the seventh and that runner stole second. But sophomore pitcher Kelly Hillman struck out the final batter to end the game and earn the win.
It took a little extra work to earn the 4-3 victory over Mount Pleasant, a game that was the fourth straight one-run decision for Live Oak.
Injured pitcher Tricia Goularte returned to the circle and pitched the first five innings, but it was the hitless relief work of Jenna Robertson that secured the victory and improved Robertson’s record to 10-2.
The Acorns offense got going early when Sarah Locarnini led off with a triple and Taylor Sutton brought her home with a sacrifice bunt.
Mount Pleasant fired right back however, scoring a pair in the bottom of the inning to gain the lead.
Live Oak fired its counter-attack in the third. Sutton had a one-out single and McDonald walked before Kientzy smashed a two-run double to regain the lead.
But the Cardinals struck right back again, getting a lead off double with that runner eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly to tie it.
The Acorns had their chance in the fourth. Robin Nelson doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on a wild pitch. Brooke Willis hit a ball and Nelson broke for home, but was thrown out at the plate. Holly Turay reached on a fielder’s choice and Locarnini singled to right to move her to third. Locarnini stole second and Sutton walked to load the bases, but with McDonald at the plate, Turay broke for home on a wild pitch and was thrown out to end the inning.
The scored stayed knotted up until the ninth, when Locarnini singled and stole second. She took third on a wild pitch and Sutton delivered a sacrifice fly to put the Acorns on top.
Mount Pleasant couldn’t mount a comeback this time and a 6-3-5 double play turned by Sutton to Willis to McDonald helped put the Cardinals away.
Note: Live Oak is hoping for the return of first baseman Brittney Ondich for the playoffs. She was involved in a rollover accident Sunday, but is hoping to make an appearance at Senior Day on Friday and the Acorns hope her and her .424 batting average will be back in action for next week’s Central Coast Section playoffs.
