Austin does it again for Live Oak: Catcher’s walkoff sac fly boosts Acorns over Sobrato

For the second time in three games, John Austin ended the game by driving in the winning run from third.
This time, in the bottom of the seventh with bases loaded and one out, Austin sent a drive into center field that allowed the winning run to score easily and defeat Sobrato, 2-1.
The Live Oak dugout cleared as the Acorns celebrated their second dramatic win in three games. Live Oak also walked off against Gilroy on Wednesday thanks to Austin hitting a bases loaded single to win, 4-3.
This time, he didn’t need a hit.
Kyle Riveron was hit by a pitch with one out and advanced to third after a ball in the dirt.
Sobrato loaded the bases with a pair of intentional walks, bringing Austin to the plate and the winning run 90 feet away.
Coach CJ Goularte had called for a suicide squeeze, but Austin fouled the pitch back. Goularte called off the play allowing Austin to swing away on the 0-1.
That plated the final run and was a fitting end to a game where runs were hard to come by as two aces went head-to-head in a classic dual.
Michael Porras picked up the win, throwing a two-hitter, giving up one run through seven innings with 13 strikeouts.
Goularte said Porras had great command of his fastball that he used to challenge hitters the whole day.
It also proved vital as his breaking ball wasn’t as sharp in the middle innings, but he found his touch in the latter innings to keep Sobrato hitters off balance.
He out did Bulldog ace Marcus Alipaz, who went six and two thirds, scattering seven hits with five strikeouts and yielding two runs.
Live Oak scored in the first inning, when Alejandro Martinez reached on a single and went to second on a bunt from Sanders.
Martinez went to third on a passed ball and came around to score on a stolen base.
Sobrato answered in the top of the third when Jon Newman reached on a dropped third strike, stole second and scored on a single by John Bell.
Newman threatened to score a go-ahead run in the fifth when he singled with one out and went from first to third on a stolen base.
But Live Oak got out of the inning with a pair of strikeouts.
That was the last baserunner Sobrato had.
Meanwhile, Live Oak had bases loaded in the first and third innings and couldn’t get the runner home.
The Acorns also led off the sixth with a pair of hits, but Alipaz got the next batter to fly out then closed out the inning with a pair of strikeouts.
Live Oak improves to 8-10 overall. The Acorns will next play Santa Teresa home and away starting 4 p.m. Tuesday with the series kicking off in San Jose.
Sobrato, meanwhile, drops to 8-6 overall and will pick up league play again with Piedmont Hills at home starting at 4 p.m.