Rich Martinez pitched six shutout innings, and the Live Oak
Acorns parlayed a six-run first inning into a 7-3 victory over
Leigh on Wednesday in a battle between last year’s Mount Hamilton
Division front-runners
MORGAN HILL — Rich Martinez pitched six shutout innings, and the Live Oak Acorns parlayed a six-run first inning into a 7-3 victory over Leigh on Wednesday in a battle between last year’s Mount Hamilton Division front-runners.
The victory at Sarich Field was Live Oak’s first against the Longhorns since May 8, 2007. The Longhorns swept the three-game season series last year, when the teams tied for first place in the Mount Hamilton. The Acorns won the division championship outright, though, because Leigh had used ineligible players.
Live Oak (11-6 overall, 6-5 league) took out two-year’s worth of frustration in the first inning.
The Acorns batted through the order, getting RBI base hits from Tony Austin, Alika Bantilan, Ryan Muir and Cody Casino. Dylan Davis also drove in a run on a fielder’s choice off Tyler Lanham (3-2), who lasted 1 1-3 innings.
Live Oak pushed ahead 7-0 in the second when Muir scored Austin on a slow roller that Lanham could not handle.
The stage was set for a big outing by Martinez (4-3). The sophomore put together his longest effort yet, striking out two and giving up three runs on seven hits in 6 1-3 innings. He held the Longhorns (9-8, 6-5) scoreless until John Cabri lined a base-clearing triple into left field in the seventh inning.
Austin and Gabriel Mancias doubled and went 2-for-3 batting, with Austin scoring twice, and Muir reached base in all three plate appearances.
Live Oak and Leigh are tied for second place and will meet again at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in San Jose.
