Live Oak varsity baseball team members can boast that they got a
chance to bat against a former major league pitcher Saturday at the
ninth annual Live Oak Alumni Baseball Game.
By Jeremy Barousse Special to the Times
Live Oak varsity baseball team members can boast that they got a chance to bat against a former major league pitcher Saturday at the ninth annual Live Oak Alumni Baseball Game.
Hundreds were in attendance Saturday at the Acorns’ baseball field to watch the Live Oak varsity team take on former Major League Baseball pitcher Brandon Villafuerte and the rest of the “newer” Live Oak alumni.
While the alumni topped the actives 12-6, the opportunity to return home was good enough for Villafuerte, regardless of the outcome.
“Its always fun to come back to where I once played,” said Villafuerte. “This is my first time playing in this game. It was fun to come check it out. We were just running around and having fun all afternoon.”
Villafuerte, who pitched for four teams over a five-year span in the major leagues said that he was excited to share his experiences of playing professional baseball with the varsity players.
“A lot of the kids asked me stuff about playing in the big leagues,” Villafuerte said. “People don’t get a chance to see the other side of things. They just see us playing on a ball field. Just talking about it brought on a whole new way of how they see big leaguers.”
The Acorns did manage to score an earned run off Villafuerte in the fourth inning. But just having a chance to face Villafuerte, 31, was a moment varsity team members will never forget.
“It was an awesome experience,” said Live Oak sophomore Alika Bantilan. “I fouled off the first pitch but missed the next two. Just being able to face a former major leaguer was worth it.”
Bantilan said that the warm spirit and personality of the alumni makes him want to come back in the coming years and participate in the annual game.
More than 40 Live Oak alumni took part in Saturday’s game including John and Michael Alciati, who starred at Gavilan College in the mid-90’s and team captain (and present Gavilan baseball coach) Neal Andrade and his brother Allan, who caught for the Acorns in the 90’s.
Live Oak coach Mark Cummins was also excited to see his former players return for some competition.
“It’s always a great time to see my old players,” Cummins said. “Every year it brings back some old memories. It’s fun to see some of these guys who I coached who are all grown up.”
Cummins, who is coaching his 21st year at Live Oak, has won 12 league titles.
The championship banners that draped over the outfield fence were a bold statement of the strong Live Oak tradition.
The Acorn junior varsity team had an easier time battling the “older” alums as they tied 2-2 in a nine-inning game in the morning.
Cummins said that the participation and attendance will only get stronger as the years go by, and that the Live Oak community is already getting started to plan next year’s game.
The Acorns plan to take their experience with the alums and hold on to their first place position in the Blossom Valley Athletic League Mount Hamilton Division.
