Sobrato losses pitchers’ dual 1-0 to Scotts Valley in
championship game of Salinas Easter Tournament
SALINAS — Years from now, when Cy Young winner Robbie Erlin is working a no-hitter against the San Jose Athletics of Oakland, the date April 17, 2009 might flash across your television screen as the answer to the game’s Aflac Trivia Question.
That was the day the Scotts Valley product collected his first no-no. Erlin probably won’t remember it, but players on the 2009 Sobrato baseball team will — begrudgingly.
They’ll recall the knee-locking curveball and 92-mph four-seamer he used to strike out 15 in the gold bracket championship game of the Salinas Easter Tournament, a 1-0 victory for Scotts Valley.
Call this story presumptuous, but one could not help but ponder the possibilities Friday, as an arsenal of radar guns held by scouts welcomed each pitch Erlin fired at Salinas Municipal Stadium.
“He’s probably the best pitcher in CCS,” Sobrato coach Ulises “Shorty” Gutierrez said. “I tried to get a scouting report from other coaches, and all they could tell me was he’s the best they’ve seen from this area in a long time.
“With the way he threw today, I believe it.”
Erlin, a Cal Poly-bound senior, struck out the side in the first, second, third and sixth innings and retired his first 14 batters.
The Bulldogs (11-10 overall, 6-6 league) got their bats on nine of Erlin’s 95 pitches.
“It’s just the same as any game to him,” Scotts Valley coach Buddy Carrigan said. “He shows no emotions. He acts the same every time.
“Winning the tournament feels good, especially against a good-hitting team like Sobrato.”
Erik Bagley scored the only run on Chris Levy’s sacrifice fly to right field in the third inning.
Scotts Valley, ranked No. 13 in the CIF-Central Coast Section by the San Jose Mercury News, also edged Sobrato by one run earlier this season, winning 3-2 March 31. The Falcons (15-3, 4-1) are one of three consecutive ranked foes for the Bulldogs, who were coming off a 13-3 semifinal victory over No. 8 Palma.
Sobrato will play a two-game series against cross-town rival Live Oak, ranked No. 15, next week in Mount Hamilton Division play.
“The guys are still upbeat,” Gutierrez, whose team won the silver bracket a year ago, said. “Even though we didn’t win it, the last game of the tournament, it feels good going out this way. We’re heading into the last stretch. If we play like this, like we did in this tournament, we’re going to do some things in league and in the playoffs.”
Erlin issued two walks; the first to Rauley Cambra in the fifth inning and the second to his counterpart, Chris Bradley (2-4) — who was coming off tossing the first no-hitter in Sobrato history.
“We win and lose as a team,” Bradley said. “We were trying to battle at the plate — that pitcher was unbelievable. It’s nice knowing we have him behind us. We’ll be ready for anything.”
Bradley pitched a beauty of his own, striking out nine and walking four in a complete-game three-hitter. Bradley held the Falcons hitless through the final three innings.
“I think Chris pitched an awesome game, too,” Gutierrez said. “He tried to match that guy and he did a pretty good job. He was able to throw strikes and challenge guys. He’s the guy who wants to go after it. I think he impressed some people tonight.”
Bradley even got a few of those radar guns to raise.
“He gave us some problems,” Carrigan said. “They fought behind him. They didn’t quit. We needed all our guys to do their part. Robbie was doing his.”
