Acorns, Bulldogs tied one game apiece with decisive Game 3 set
for April 28
MORGAN HILL — Managers rarely think of their first two league games as must-wins, but Live Oak’s Mark Cummins and Sobrato’s Shorty Gutierrez agreed there was nothing typical about last week when their teams opened Mount Hamilton Division play on the same diamond.
For both sides, it was crucial to win at least one of the two meetings.
After dropping the first one 8-5 Thursday at Sarich Field, the winless Bulldogs faced their most pressure-packed third game of any season in program history.
“Being this early in the year, we knew we had to get our rhythm going and definitely win Friday,” Gutierrez said. “Our goal is to at least take 2 of 3 against everyone in league. If you start 0-2 against your rival, you’re in a deep hole.”
The Bulldogs (1-3 overall, 1-1 league) climbed out of one Friday. Back at full strength for the first time this season, they triumphed 9-0 on their home field, tying the El Toro Series with one seismic third game to go. An electrified audience is expected to be on hand when the Bulldogs host Live Oak (3-2, 1-1) in a true rubbermatch April 28.
The same scenario played out a year ago in an intensely competitive series that Sobrato won two games to one.
“A lot of people said they are favored to win this league this year, so it was very important for us to win like we did last week,” Cummins said Monday. “We ended up with a split. We’re not happy happy, but we’ll take it.”
The Bulldogs on Thursday visited Live Oak with one game under their belts and a makeshift starting lineup that lacked standouts Ryan Williams, and Chris and Bryan Bradley, who were still transitioning from basketball season.
The Acorns went all in. They sent their ace, Rich Martinez, onto the hill, and the right-hander worked six solid innings to pick up his first win of the season.
“Richie showed great command out there. He pitched a great game,” Cummins said.
Once Williams and the Bradley twins entered the game, things got interesting.
Against Live Oak’s bullpen, the Bulldogs put one run across and loaded the bases in the seventh inning when Gutierrez moved Williams and the Bradleys into the lineup. Chris Bradley walked in a run versus Ken Hall, and Williams scored Alex Davis on a groundout to closer Nick Robles, making it a three-run game with two away. Robles pitched around Bryan Bradley with first base open, then rung up Tanner Di Sibio on three pitches to end it.
Before that, it was all Martinez. The junior struck out six and worked five scoreless innings. He held the Bulldogs to seven hits.
After Timmy Giles drove home Tim Andrade on a fielder’s choice, and Deric Horan singled in Aaron Wallace to push Sobrato ahead 2-0 in the first, the Acorns went ahead for good in the bottom half.
Cody Van Aken, who batted 2 for 3 and scored twice, tripled home Michael Schreiber and Ryan Muir off A.J. Schmeizer, then crossed home on Jalen Salazar’s groundout to first. Schreiber and Muir, Live Oak’s Nos. 1 and 2 batters, scored again during a three-run third inning.
Live Oak pushed ahead 8-2 in the fifth with the help of two botched fly balls in left field.
Muir scored three runs, doubled, singled and was hit by a pitch, and Martinez singled twice and matched Hall with two RBIs.
Muir is batting .600.
“We came up with some quality at-bats and defense,” Cummins said. “We didn’t have those as much Friday.”
The pendulum swung back toward the Bulldogs, as Gutierrez sent out Williams to start Game 2 and slated Chris Bradley to relieve him after five innings.
Both pitchers played an integral part in Sobrato’s run to the Division II section championship game a year ago.
“The intention was to get them into the mix,” Gutierrez said. “We’re trying to get them back up to speed.”
Looking like the “Ryan of old,” according to his skipper, Williams (1-0) struck out two and surrendered six hits. Chris Bradley fanned three.
“They pitched very well against us in that second game,” Cummins said. “Sobrato has a ton of pitching talent, and we just tried to battle.”
Williams drove in a pair of runs in a 2-for-4 batting effort. Wallace finished 3 for 4, Di Sibio went 2 for 3 and accounted for four runs, and Chris Bradley collected three RBIs.
“The intensity was where it needed to be. I like the direction we’re going in,” said Gutierrez, whose team had 14 hits.
After losing 5-2 Saturday at Los Altos, the Bulldogs will resume division play this week against Leland, starting at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in San Jose.
The Acorns will do the same against defending league champion Santa Teresa. The Saints will visit Live Oak on Wednesday.
