One down and two to go. Using an opportunistic offense that made
the most of a few hits and several extra chances, the Live Oak High
baseball team opened its Tri-County Athletic League season by
downing visiting Hollister-San Benito 7-3 on Wednesday. The victory
gave the host Acorns an advantage in the best-of-three series with
the Haybalers, with whom Live Oak shared the league title last
season.
One down and two to go.
Using an opportunistic offense that made the most of a few hits and several extra chances, the Live Oak High baseball team opened its Tri-County Athletic League season by downing visiting Hollister-San Benito 7-3 on Wednesday. The victory gave the host Acorns an advantage in the best-of-three series with the Haybalers, with whom Live Oak shared the league title last season.
The defending TCAL co-champs will hook up today at 3:30 p.m. in Hollister for the second game in this week’s home-and-home doubleheader. The third game between the league rivals is scheduled for April 28.
Live Oak coach Mark Cummins said Wednesday’s win gives the Acorns the advantage going into today’s key contest, especially because the Acorns got by without having to use ace senior pitcher Dave Newton who will start today’s game. A win today would wrap up the season series for Live Oak and give the Acorns a tiebreaker should the two teams finish in a tie again this season.
“We wanted to put pressure on Hollister and we did that,” Cummins said. “Friday is a pivotal game for us but it’s a must-win for them. We feel pretty good with Dave (Newton) going and hopefully we can win (today) and wrap up the season series.”
On Wednesday, Live Oak broke open a deadlocked game by capitalizing on Hollister miscues in the decisive fourth inning to score a pair of runs that turned out to be the difference.
With the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth, Live Oak (3-3 overall, 1-0 in league) put a pair of runners on — one on an infield single by senior catcher Chase Perez that ricocheted off Baler starting pitcher Justin Patton’s glove and another on senior first baseman Steve Conner’s skied pop-up that was dropped by the Baler catcher. Acorn junior third baseman Doug Porras followed with a two-run double to give Live Oak a 5-3 lead it would not relinquish.
In fact, Hollister mistakes contributed to all but one of the Acorn runs.
With the Balers (4-4 overall, 0-1 in league) leading 1-0 on Hollister’s Patton was rolling through the Live Oak lineup when he ran into trouble in the third inning.
After giving up a single, Patton got the next two Acorn batters, then lost the strike zone. He walked junior second baseman Andrew Cummins and junior left fielder Bryce Wilson, then hit Live Oak senior shortstop Dave Newton with a pitch to force in a run and tie the game at 1-1.
Live Oak’s senior center-fielder Daniel Salinas then flipped a single into left-center to score Cummins and Wilson, and give the Acorns a 3-1 lead.
“Timely hitting was obviously very key for us,” Cummins said. “We realize runs are going to be hard to come by and we have to take advantage of our opportunities.”
Hollister battled back in the top of the fourth off Live Oak senior starting pitcher Dylan Regan.
Baler senior right fielder Brett Fulgoni smacked a two-out, two-run double that scored sophomore shortstop Karson Klauer and Patton to knot the score at 3-3 before Live Oak’s game-winning rally in the bottom of the inning.
Live Oak added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth. Conner nailed a fastball from Baler sophomore reliever Breyon Canez 375 feet to left for a home run. And, Live Oak scored on a two-base error and an RBI single by Newton.
“It was nice to get those last two runs and open it up a little, and take the pressure off our sophomore (reliever Kyle Mosbrucker),” Cummins said. “Dylan wasn’t as sharp as we like him to be but he only gave up three (runs) and he kept us in the game.”
Mosbrucker relieved Regan to start the fifth inning and tossed three innings of one-hit ball, including a perfect top of the seventh.
Regan picked up the victory, while Hollister’s Patton absorbed the loss. Acorn sophomore Kyle Mosbrucker tossed three innings of shutout ball for the save.
Live Oak had just seven hits, including two each by Perez and Salinas.
Barnes said his team needs to learn how to get out of an inning if it is to compete for the league title. He said the Balers have their work cut out for them in today’s game.
“We can’t give teams like (Live Oak) extra oppor-tunities,” Barnes said. “Hopefully, we can bounce back on Friday in our home park.”
Last season, Live Oak took two of three from Hollister to win the season series.
