A squad that made its living off comeback victories fueled by
clutch hits and offensive explosions all year long, the Live Oak
High baseball team just couldn
’t come through when it mattered most on Wednesday. The
Tri-County Athletic League champions, who fashioned three straight
comeback wins to claim the league title, couldn’t continue their
late-season heroics into the Central Coast Section Division I
playoffs, dropping a 3-1 decision to visiting
Leland in its postseason opener at Live Oak.
A squad that made its living off comeback victories fueled by clutch hits and offensive explosions all year long, the Live Oak High baseball team just couldn’t come through when it mattered most on Wednesday.
The Tri-County Athletic League champions, who fashioned three straight comeback wins to claim the league title, couldn’t continue their late-season heroics into the Central Coast Section Division I playoffs, dropping a 3-1 decision to visiting Leland in its postseason opener at Live Oak.
“If we knew going in that we’d only allow three runs, with our offense, we’d like our chances,” LO coach Mark Cummins said. “But we couldn’t get the big hit when we needed it.”
The loss eliminated No. 8 LO (17-9), while No. 9 Leland (17-10) advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinals against top seed Bellarmine (34-4).
The Acorns managed seven hits but two players – senior Doug Porras (three singles) and sophomore Michael Sorci (single and double) – combined for five of them as the rest of the lineup went silent against Leland pitcher Kevin Billipede.
The offensive stagnation ruined a fine pitching effort by senior Eric Nelson, who tossed 6 2/3 innings of four-hit ball.
Leland coach Scot Gillis, a Morgan Hill resident, said he felt fortunate that his young team made it past a talented Acorn squad.
“I was disappointed we had to play (LO) right off the bat,” Gillis said. “We’re very young, and the kids really didn’t have a lot of playoff experience. We knew Live Oak is a senior-laden team and we were afraid of the first few innings.”
Indeed, LO took the early 1-0 lead, tallying a run just three batters into the bottom of the first inning when Porras singled, stole second and came around to score on senior Andrew Cummins’ RBI single.
Leland answered with a run in the top of the second on a costly, two-out error by Porras and a subsequent RBI single to tie the game at 1-1.
Nelson cruised through the next three innings, using a snapping breaking pitch to keep the Chargers off balance.
LO had runners in scoring position in two out of the next three innings, including a lead-off double by Sorci, but couldn’t cash in.
Leland broke the tie in the top of the sixth when slugger Matt Slaton deposited a 2-2 fastball from Nelson over the leftfield fence for a home run and a 2-1 lead.
Leland added another run in the top of the seventh to finish the scoring.
LO had scoring chances in the bottom of the sixth – when Nelson doubled – and the seventh – when singles by Porras and Sorci put two runners on, but couldn’t capitalize.
It was the final game for seniors Porras, Cummins, Nelson, Bryce Wilson, Shayne Christman, Shaun Standridge, and Jordan Racz.
It was the third straight first-round playoff loss for the LO baseball program.
TCAL rivals Hollister-San Benito (7-0 loss at St. Francis) and Gilroy (13-5 loss at Valley Christian) also lost their CCS playoff openers.
Palma begins Division III play today.
