Sobrato moves into tie with Leigh for second; Live Oak and
Westmont now in fourth. Santa Teresa’s magic number remains one
MORGAN HILL — Good news for the Sobrato baseball team: Billy Birrell is pitching again, and his bat is only getting hotter.
Birrell homered for second straight game, tripled, drove in two runs and pitched the final two innings for the save as the Bulldogs bested Westmont 6-5 Monday in a Mount Hamilton Division battle between second-place clubs.
Host Sobrato (14-12 overall, 9-8 league) remained in a tie for second — but only with Leigh now. Westmont (14-11, 8-9) dropped into fourth place with Live Oak, which on Monday lost to Pioneer. Leigh tipped first-place Santa Teresa that same day, denying the Saints at least a share of the division championship for one more game.
Sobrato has taken 1 of 2 from Santa Teresa this year and will host a rubber match at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
If the season ended today, Santa Teresa, Sobrato and Leigh would gain entry to the section playoffs, with Live Oak and Westmont needing to break a 1-1 tie in their season series to clinch the division’s fourth and final automatic berth.
Westmont on Wednesday will visit Live Oak.
With a collective batting effort headed by Birrell, Sobrato was able to snap the Warriors’ six-game win streak. Bryan Bradley finished 2 for 3 with an RBI and a stolen base, Shea Adams scored, drove in a run and went 2 for 4, and Tim Giles belted a run-scoring double. The Bulldogs collected nine hits.
Trailing 4-3 after the fourth inning, Westmont took the lead with two runs in the fifth. Sobrato scored twice in the bottom half, though, to go ahead for good, saving a victory for starter Ryan Williams. The junior gave up three home runs in a tough outing, but improved to 6-2.
Birrell, who has seen limited action on the hill this season because of a nagging shoulder injury, gave up one hit.
Pioneer 5, Live Oak 4
Pioneer overcame a three-run deficit to outlast Live Oak 5-4 at Sarich Field, handing the Acorns their third consecutive loss.
Michael Schreiber and Ryan Muir drove in two runs apiece as Live Oak led 4-1 after the third inning. The Mustangs scored once in the fourth and fifth before taking the lead with two runs off closer Connor Sutton (7-4) in the sixth.
Tony Austin, Schreiber, Muir and Sutton each doubled for the Acorns, who totaled seven hits. Schreiber finished 2 for 3.
Live Oak starter Rich Martinez worked five innings for a no-decision, striking out four and allowing two earned runs on five hits and four walks.
Justin Souza (1-1) got the win, and Rob Artery collected two hits and two RBIs for Pioneer (10-12, 7-10), which avoided being swept in the season series.
