Live Oak High
’s junior ace Kyle Mosbrucker and the Acorn baseball team
prevailed 1-0 in a key pitching duel with defending league champion
Palma on Wednesday. LO (10-5 overall, 5-0 in league) scored the
game’s lone run on junior Nick Bonfiglio’s game-winning single with
the bases loaded in the bottom of th
e seventh inning. The victory kept the Acorns undefeated in
Tri-County Athletic League play and gave them a boost heading into
a crucial two-week stretch. Since Friday’s game at Palma was rained
out and rescheduled for next Friday at 4pm, LO is set to play two
games against rival Gilroy (which is
in second place in the TCAL) on Tuesday and Thursday next week,
followed by the rescheduled game against Palma, then will play a
pair against a surging Hollister-San Benito club the following
week.
Live Oak High’s junior ace Kyle Mosbrucker and the Acorn baseball team prevailed 1-0 in a key pitching duel with defending league champion Palma on Wednesday.
LO (10-5 overall, 5-0 in league) scored the game’s lone run on junior Nick Bonfiglio’s game-winning single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The victory kept the Acorns undefeated in Tri-County Athletic League play and gave them a boost heading into a crucial two-week stretch. Since Friday’s game at Palma was rained out and rescheduled for next Friday at 4pm, LO is set to play two games against rival Gilroy (which is in second place in the TCAL) on Tuesday and Thursday next week, followed by the rescheduled game against Palma, then will play a pair against a surging Hollister-San Benito club the following week.
Last year’s team also got off to a fast start in league play before fading later in the season. But Coach Mark Cummins said this year’s squad is more confident.
“This year’s team expects to win, that’s the biggest difference,” Cummins said. “This (the next two weeks) will be a key time for us.”
But for now, LO will celebrate its early success in TCAL play.
“This (win) is very big,” Bonfiglio said. “Especially in such a clutch situation.”
LO had only managed a single hit against Palma pitcher Tyler Dinner entering the final inning, while the Chieftains created several scoring threats. Palma had two runners on in each of the last three innings against Mosbrucker but couldn’t cash in as the LO defense came up with several key plays.
The Acorns finally got on track against Dinner in the final inning, loading the bases on an error on Mosbrucker’s ground ball, a two-strike double by Eric Nelson and an intentional walk to Shayne Christman. Then, Bonfiglio ended the affair against the drawn-in Palma outfield with a solid liner just out of reach of the centerfielder.
LO softball
Battling vaunted Notre Dame ace Kim Reeder to the bitter end, the LO softball team dropped a tough 2-1 decision in nine (two extra) innings on Wednesday. The Acorns also beat North Salinas 3-1 on Tuesday in a game postponed due to rain earlier this season.
On Wednesday, LO (12-3 overall, 2-1 in TCAL) tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fourth when Alyssa Adamo singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by April Herrera, stole third and scored when the throw skipped into left field.
Acorn ace Juliette Bowers struck out 12 against the Spirits and 10 against the Vikings.
LO was set to play in the Wilcox Tournament on Friday after going 3-0 in the tourney last weekend. Another victory would vault the Acorns into Saturday’s finals.
The program got some good news this week when LO Boosters Club President Pam Mom told Coach Barr McDonnell she would ask the club’s board of directors to consider paying for part of the loss of the equipment stolen from a Community Park storage container last week.
LO track
Despite losing both the boys and girls team competitions to visiting Palma and Notre Dame, there were a few encouraging performances for the Acorn track and field program on Thursday.
Junior standout Cobbie Jones followed up her eye-opening performance at the St. Francis Carnival last weekend, in which she ran a blazing 57.65 in the 400 – the second-best time in section, by winning the 400 in 59.30. Jones will finally get a chance to compete in her best event, the 800, at the Arcadia Invitational this weekend.
Other winners for LO included Azucena Atanacio (discus), Tanya Tenorio (shot), Dandrell Thomas (triple jump), Lisa Herrera (3,200), Dustin Muhn (triple jump and long jump), and Billy Wong (3,200).
LO boys volleyball
Rebounding from a disappointing loss to Gilroy last week, the LO boys volleyball team won a pair of TCAL matches in a row.
On Friday, April 1, the Acorns pounded visiting Alisal in three straight games 25-15, 25-23, 25-12. Then, on Wednesday this week, the Acorns beat host Palma 25-13, 25-23, 26-28, 28-18.
LO improved to 9-6 overall, 4-3 in TCAL.
LO boys tennis
Riding a big performance from their singles players, the Acorns got a big win against host Gilroy on Tuesday, beating the Mustangs 6-1.
Nick Matsumoto, Eric Matsumoto, Casey McElroy and Jacob Haim all won their matches in straight sets, and the doubles teams of Jake Plafker and Danny Smith and Bobby Frey and Charles Seacat also won.
