LOHS softball on pace to at least tie for title
SAN JOSE — Sophomore pitcher Katie Obbema has much to look forward to in her Live Oak softball career.
Friday, she helped the Lady Acorns take down the tallest and final pillar standing between them and the top spot in the Mount Hamilton Division.
Obbema struck out five and allowed zero walks in a marathon nine-inning dual with Lizzie Hogan, and Live Oak beat Leigh 3-2 in San Jose to move within a half game of the Longhorns for first place in the division.
Winners of six straight, the Acorns (6-1 league) became the first Mount Hamilton club to beat Leigh (7-1) this spring. They avenged a 5-4 Opening Day loss in which the Longhorns scored the winning run in the final inning off Obbema.
This time, Live Oak prevailed late. Kirsten Doting reached base with her second bunt single of the game in the ninth, then advanced to second on an overthrow, stole third and scored on a botched pick-off throw. The play snapped a five-inning scoreless stretch.
Leigh went ahead 2-0 in the fourth only to watch Live Oak pull even in the bottom half when Obbema doubled home Priscilla Orona, and Kayla Cisneroz plated Obbema on a fielder’s choice. The Acorns also received hits from Jacey Turay, Jenna Robertson and Orona.
That was all the Acorns could muster against Hogan. The sophomore struck out eight and surrendered seven hits and one walk.
Obbema, now 6-1 in league, gave up nine hits, each to a different batter.
Live Oak has six regular-season games left, starting at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday against visiting Branham.
Mount Pleasant 7, Sobrato 2
The Lady Bulldogs led 2-0 after two innings Thursday against the Santa Teresa Division front-runner. Mount Pleasant eventually broke out behind a four-hit effort by junior Danielle Randall, who accounted for all seven of the Cardinals’ runs.
Sobrato’s Nicole Larson batted 3 for 4 and scored once, and Heather Johnson went 1 for 1, walked twice and stole home on a dropped ball by the catcher. Kallie Klinger went 1 for 3 with an RBI, and Allyson Stoner added a hit for the visiting Lady Bulldogs (3-4 league).
Sobrato junior Katie Machado pitched a complete game.
Mount Pleasant (6-0) totaled 10 hits and capitalized off five errors. Randall had a three-run homer to go with two singles, a double and six RBIs.
SWIMMING
The Sobrato boys defeated Prospect 115-55 Thursday to move within a victory of clinching at least a tie for first place in Santa Teresa dual meets.
The Bulldogs (4-0) won 10 events at Sobrato High School with Adam Jasper and Danny Thompson providing four first-place finishes apiece.
The two joined Patrick Read and Paul Watts in winning the 200-yard medley relay in one minute, 50.38 seconds and the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:38.17. Jasper also touched first in the 200-yard freestyle (2:02.05) and 500-yard freestyle (5:35.68), and Thompson did the same in the 200-yard individual medley (2:22.78) and 100-yard freestyle (53.89). Read added an individual win in the 100-yard butterfly (1:01.14).
Sobrato’s first-place 400-yard freestyle relay (3:54.79) of Prashan Welipitiya, Timmy Thompson, John Patterson and Michael Lopes had a big day as well. Welipitiya and Thompson won the 100-yard backstroke (1:07.13) and 100-yard breaststroke (1:11.62).
Also Thursday, the Lady Bulldogs fell 107-56 to Prospect, dropping to 2-2. Christiana Bridges, Sobrato’s lone CCS swimmer thus far, won the 500 free in 5:38.25 and swam with Gabrielle Smith, Nika Burnett and Kelly Pearman in a first-place 400 relay (4:17.94).
BOYS TENNIS
Sobrato’s top singles duo of Tyler Pecsok and Zach Thomas advanced through the opening rounds of the Santa Teresa Division Doubles Tournament and will begin semifinal play at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Branham High School.
The championship round will be held later that day.
