Gilroy – Thursday’s showdown in Gilroy couldn’t have been a more typical Live Oak/Gilroy softball game.
Gilroy emerged with the 4-3 win, but it took 11 innings, involved a dramatic play at the plate and required every minute of daylight it took up.
“We’ve gotten into so many extra inning games with Gilroy, this was just another,” said Live Oak head coach Barry McDonnell with a smile. “With Gilroy, I want to say let’s just start in the seventh inning.”
After four extra innings, Live Oak (4-2-1, 0-2 TCAL) was the team to break the string of seven scoreless innings and a 2-2 tie.
With one out in the top of the 11th inning, Live Oak’s Sabrina LaCorte drove a single to center field off the first pitch from Gilroy hurler Sarah Villar. LaCorte’s hit brought home Kelly McDonald from third and put the Acorns up 3-2.
The Live Oak dugout went wild over the hit and took some of the momentum as Gilroy retired the side and both teams prepared to go into the bottom of the inning.
But Gilroy (6-1, 2-0 TCAL) was ready to face the score-or-go-home situation. Brittany Balanesi led off the inning, milking a full-count walk from Live Oak pitcher Tricia Goularte. Yolanda Esquivel reached on a fielder’s choice bunt as the Acorns forced out Villar (international tie breaker runner) at third. Gilroy second baseman Lauryn Chris then slapped a single into deep short, scoring Balanesi to tie the game at 3-3.
Live Oak looked ready to put the inning away and get back to the plate when Goularte got Gilroy outfielder Liz Ines to pop up. But an infield error changed that.
The Live Oak infielders converged on the pop up in the pitchers’ circle, but a miscommunication caused the ball to bounce off a Live Oak mitt and to the ground. Esquivel scored from third, giving Gilroy the 4-3 win.
The Live Oak players stood stunned as Gilroy rushed out of the dugout in excitement.
“It was too bad. The girls were in a position to win. It was ‘here we go’ after that hit (from LaCorte),” said McDonnell, whose squad made five errors in the game to Gilroy’s two. “It was another infield mistake. We’ve been working on that.”
For Live Oak, April Herrera (2-for-5, double, RBI), Sara Locarnini (2-for-5, double), Brittney Ondich (double), Amanda Rosevear (double, RBI) and Taylor Sutton (double) led the offense. LaCorte, McDonald and Alyssa Adamo each had one hit apiece.
Live Oak made it an uphill battle for Gilroy early. By the middle of the fourth inning, the Acorns had built a 2-0 lead. But in the bottom of the fourth, the Mustangs charged back, scoring two runs of their own on a dramatic play. Gilroy’s Balanesi ripped a double to center field, scoring Jasmine Perez and Villar. As Villar headed for home, the throw coming in to catcher Hererra looked like it would make it there before Villar. But as Villar tried to slide and collided with Herrera, the ball got away from the Live Oak catcher and Villar was called safe.
Live Oak’s next game is at San Benito Wednesday at 3:30pm.
