The Live Oak baseball team put three runs across in the fourth
inning Thursday, but couldn’t finish off Branham
MORGAN HILL — The Live Oak baseball team put three runs across in the fourth inning Thursday, but couldn’t finish off Branham.
Scoring all of their runs in the first two innings, the visiting Bruins held on for a 7-6 victory Thursday in a Blossom Valley Athletic League-Mount Hamilton Division game at Sarich Field.
Branham (4-3 overall, 2-2 BVAL) also beat the Acorns 14-8 Tuesday in San Jose, giving them a leg up on Live Oak in their three-game season series.
The Acorns (5-4, 1-3) matched the Bruins with 11 hits Thursday, including two from Alika Bantilan, Tony Austin and Ryan Muir. Bantilan doubled and drove in three runs, and Muir and Austin both batted 2 for 3.
Live Oak reliever Connor Sutton struck out eight in six innings after coming in for Bantilan (0-1) after the first. Sutton surrendered three earned runs.
Branham starter Nick Rossetta got the win, helping his cause with a run, two RBIs and two hits in four plate appearances. Teammate Erik Alcantar went 3 for 4 with two runs.
Behind Santa Clara-bound ace pitcher Chris Mendoza (2-2), the Bruins cruised during Tuesday’s win — but received a late scare when Live Oak mustered six runs in the seventh inning.
The Acorns were outhit 16-5, but received two RBIs from Austin and Bantilan. Cody Casino and Austin doubled.
Thursday’s game was the first of three straight home contests for Live Oak, which will host Pioneer on Tuesday.
