After opening up the Tri-County Athletic League schedule two
days earlier with a 10-1 win, the Live Oak baseball team fell 5-1
to Hollister in the wind and rain Friday.
After opening up the Tri-County Athletic League schedule two days earlier with a 10-1 win, the Live Oak baseball team fell 5-1 to Hollister in the wind and rain Friday.
Live Oak (6-4, 1-1 TCAL) and Hollister (6-3, 1-1 TCAL) play each other one more time in league play on April 30 at Hollister.
With a strong blowing wind from right to left, neither team had anything more than a single. There were 11 hits (eight for Hollister and three for Live Oak), and all them were line drives.
“We hit fly balls right at the guys,” said Live Oak coach Mark Cummins. “They did a good job with their approach hitting a lot of balls through the infield. On a day like this, that is what you have to do. We kept harping on that with our guys. We couldn’t get enough runners on to manufacture anything.”
Both teams played their outfielders shallow because of the wind.
“It is very uncharacteristic,” said Cummins of the wind. “Normally the wind blows out, but it was blowing across the field today. The ball wasn’t carrying at all.”
Between the fourth and fifth innings, the Live Oak field crew covered the field during a sudden downpour. But just as soon as they had the tarps on, it stopped raining, and they quickly uncovered the field.
Kyle Bennett (2-2) took the loss after pitching five innings. Bennett, who had a solid outing and made some tough pitches, said the weather didn’t affect his game.
“It wasn’t really raining when I was in,” Bennett said. “The wind actually helped my curve ball. I didn’t feel I pitched badly. They just found the holes.”
Dylan Regan pitched the final two inning for the Acorns. Regan allowed just one base runner on a base hit by leadoff hitter Josh Badillo.
“He came in and gave us two solid innings to keep us close,” Cummins said. “But offensively we just couldn’t get anything going.”
Hollister pitcher Nathan Rowe had a strong outing to pick up the win with a complete game. He struck out six. But he had some help in the final inning from the umpire, who was a little liberal in his strike zone as the rain started to fall more heavily.
Hollister got on the board with two runs in the first inning, two runs third and a run in the fifth.
“That’s our style of baseball – getting base hits and getting a few runs here and there,” said third-year Baler coach Neal Andrade, a Live Oak grad. “There are no bad hops in the air.”
Live Oak got its only run in the third inning. Bennett, who reached base on a fielder’s choice, came around to score on a balk after Daniel Watson was hit by a pitch and Dave Newton flied out.
Ryan Muller will pitch on Wednesday when Live Oak takes on 0-7 North Salinas at home.
“Those are teams that scare you,” Cummins said. “You don’t want to be the first one. We have too many tough games, so these are the games we have to win.”
