The two games of Live Oak’s home and home series with Piedmont
Hills last week couldn’t have been any different.
The two games of Live Oak’s home and home series with Piedmont Hills last week couldn’t have been any different.
In the Acorns game on the road Tuesday, the bats did the talking in a wild 21-11 win. Two days later back on Live Oak’s home field, the pitchers ruled the day as Live Oak won a 2-0 pitcher’s dual.
“It was a completely different game than the first one,” Acorns coach Mark Cummins said. “It was great to see the way we battled in a close low scoring game.”
Live Oak remains in first place and is now 11-3 in the Blossom Valley Athletic League Mt. Hamilton Division and improves to 14-5 overall.
Lefthander Blaine Sutton (4-2) started on the mound for the Acorns and allowed three hits over five innings to pick up his fourth win on the season. Matthew Cummins pitched the scoreless sixth and seventh innings to pick up the save, striking out two and not allowing a hit.
“Our pitching was outstanding,” Mark Cummins said. “They made the pitches when they had to and our defense made the plays behind them.”
The Acorns scored a run in the first inning as leadoff hitter Cameron Willis was hit by a pitch, Eddie Gomez followed with a single and Adam Perez hit a one-out, run-scoring single.
Live Oak didn’t score again until the sixth inning. With one out, Perez doubled to deep right field and with two outs, Alika Bantilan hit a fly ball that the center fielder misplayed to allow Perez to score an insurance run.
“That was a big run for us, it gave us a little extra cushion.” Cummins said.
The Acorns, who had 22 in Tuesday’s meeting, were limited to four hits on the day, with Perez collecting two of them.
Live Oak goes on the road for two games this week, playing Tuesday at Westmont and Thursday at Pioneer. Both games are at 3:30pm.
