Big innings in the third and seventh, mixed in with a solid all around offensive effort propelled Live Oak to a 10-3 win over Sobrato Tuesday.
The Acorns scored three times in the third, four times in the seventh and added runs in the first and fifth as they rallied passed their rivals in the first of a home-and-away league series.
Coach Sarah Locarnini was a little nervous to start noting that the girls didn’t play with an urgency, but said they got it rolling later.
Live Oak had 10 of 12 batters either score or drive in a run and all by one of those hitters get on base.
“They’ve been working at practice on Monday about making adjustments to the pitcher,” Locarnini said. “The first team to make an adjustment wins. We’ve been really harping that. To see them make adjustments whether in the middle of the game or in some cases in the middle of their at bats was good.”
Kelli St. Clair led the charge with her 2-5 day, scoring a run and driving in three with a pair of extra base hits, including the dagger in the seventh.
With the bases loaded and two outs, St. Clair drove a ball to the fence in left-center, which allowed all three runs to score. St. Clair ended up on third after the throw from the outfield came home.
Sobrato had nearly gotten out of the inning unscathed after Live Oak loaded the bases with no outs.
Pitcher Kacey Suess got a line out to shortstop, which turned into a double play when the runner on third was too far off the bag.
But Live Oak loaded the bases again when Kaylie Lowery drew a walk followed by an infield single from Jordyn Campbell to score Sydney Bell.
That set up St. Clair who put the game away.
Lowery went 2-3 with two runs scored, a walk and was hit by a pitch.
Live Oak had four infield singles and reached base two other times on balls that didn’t leave the infield.
Sobrato coach John McGowan said there might have to be a chance to the right side of his infield and will be using the coming week to see where he stands with that.
Campbell laid down a bunt to the pitcher, but the throw to the second baseman covering first was dropped, allowing Live Oak to have two on with no out.
Then with two outs, Ianna Schlaefli and Jackie Orta drew consecutive walks, which put Live Oak up 1-0.
Schlaefli went 2-3 with two runs scored and a walk.
Orta went 1-2 with an RBI, a walk and a sacrifice bunt.
Campbell reached again on the fourth on an error at second, but Sobrato got out of that jam on a double play started by the shortstop.
Meanwhile, Sobrato had a strong day in the first two innings, as Ally Nodohara led off with a single and eventually scored on an infield single from Samantha Parish. Nodohara then drove in Suess with a single in the second to spark a two-run inning which gave Sobrato 2-1 lead.
Suess and Kendall McGowan led off with back-to-back singles followed by Nodohara’s single with two outs. McGowan scored on a double-steal when the throw down to second went into the outfield.
But that was as much as Sobrato would get as the tandem of Lindsey Baker and Maddie Gallagher kept the Bulldogs off balance.
Baker threw the first inning before giving way to Gallagher, who finished things off with six strong innings to pick up the win.
Gallagher allowed two runs on five hits and a walk with six strikeouts.
After going down 2-1, Live Oak retook the lead when St. Clair led off with a double and stole third.
After Gallagher drew a walk, St. Clair scored on a wild pitch to tie the game.
Having on to third on the play, Gallagher scored on a single from Schlaefli.
Schlaefli landed on third two batters later on a sac bunt from Orta and a ground ball out from Jordyn Layton.
Haley Bonfante drove Gallagher home with a two-out single.
Live Oak got two more in the fifth when Schlaefli reached on a double and scored on a two-out single from Layton.
After Bonfante and Bella Anglokowski drew walks to load the bases, Lowery brought in Layton with an infield single.
