Live Oak now 5-2 overall and 1-1 in league
MORGAN HILL — How difficult will it be to win the Blossom Valley Athletic League-‘A’ Division title in baseball this year?
Zach Jones and the Santa Teresa Saints gave Live Oak a hint Thursday — and the Acorns happily returned the lesson Friday. While they were duking out a two-game series at Sarich Field, Leigh and Westmont, two other Mount Hamilton Division favorites, were carving up a split of their own in Campbell. And with that, second place in the BVAL super class was occupied by four teams heading into the second week of division play. Only Leland remained unbeaten at 1-0 in league.
Live Oak coach Mark Cummins did not want to blow Friday’s 3-2 victory out of proportion, but almost couldn’t help it.
“You don’t want to say the big games are this early in the season; the ones to help you stay in the hunt. Every game’s important, though,” said Cummins, the maestro of 10 league championships. “Everybody’s going to beat up on each other. That’s why it was big for us to get a split. So Santa Teresa doesn’t have a tie-breaker against us.”
It was important on many levels; primarily for the league standings, but also for instilling confidence in the young Acorns (5-2 overall, 1-1 BVAL), who are defending back-to-back Mount Hamilton titles with, virtually, a new team.
“It’s a confidence boost to know if we lose the first game in a series early in the week, we can get back and win a close game,” Cummins said. “We came through in a clutch situation.”
After getting shut down by Santa Teresa’s ace pitcher, Jones, and surrendering three unearned runs in Thursday’s 5-1 loss, Live Oak small-balled its way out of a sweep.
“We liked our chances Friday because they already used their best guy,” said Acorns catcher Tony Austin, who, as a freshman, played with Jones at Santa Teresa before transferring to Live Oak. “We knew what we were up against.”
The score was knotted 2-2 in the final inning, when Live Oak senior Dylan Davis came up to bat with two outs and Nick Gustafson on second base, pinch-running for Alika Bantilan. Davis lined a single into left field, and Gustafson scored the go-ahead run on a close play at the plate.
Acorns reliever Connor Sutton closed the bottom half of the seventh inning to get the win, his second of the season. (Live Oak played as the visiting team because the game was originally scheduled to be played at Santa Teresa High School. The Saints’ home field was flooded.) He allowed two hits, two walks and struck out one in three innings. Sutton (2-0) came in for Bantilan, who made a superb four-inning start. Bantilan collected two strikeouts and yielded one earned run.
“It was big, real big, to come through like that,” he said. “We have to know one loss isn’t the end of the world.”
Bantilan and Davis singled twice; and Sutton and Cody Casino once for the Acorns, who totaled six hits. Casino scored the team’s only run Thursday on an RBI-base hit by Austin.
Live Oak became the first team to beat Santa Teresa (5-1, 1-1) this season.
“We were mentally tough — just like we need to be to win those close games this year,” Cummins said.
Live Oak will have a chance to settle the score with Santa Teresa in late April. The Acorns first have to tackle this week’s home-and-home series with Branham, a division dark horse. The first game starts at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at Branham High School, and the second will be held Thursday at Sarich Field.
Live Oak is eager to face Bruins ace, Chris Mendoza, who has signed with Santa Clara University.
“We remember him from last year,” Austin said. “We just have to keep doing what we’re doing.”
The Acorns are coming off a hitting display put on Saturday at Half Moon Bay (4-3-1 overall). Live Oak parlayed 17 hits into a 12-4 nonleague win.
The Acorns broke through for six runs in the fifth inning.
“It felt like batting practice,” said Bantilan, who was 4 for 5 with three runs and three RBIs. “Everyone was loose and confident.”
Austin was a single shy of hitting for the cycle. He doubled, tripled and homered on the way to finishing 3 for 5 with four RBIs. He and Bantilan hit back-to-back home runs. Sutton went 2 for 4 with three runs.
James Araiza earned his first victory of the season, pitching one inning, and Jeff Stine worked a rare nine-out save. Stein struck out three and gave up one unearned run.
Cummins marveled at the performance — plus the Cougars’ multimillion-dollar field that opened two years ago.
“It was better than some college facilities,” he said. “It was worth the hour-and-a-half drive.”
