Live Oak overcomes 5-0 deficit, undone by 12 free passes
MORGAN HILL — Back-to-back losses erased Live Oak’s progress last week in Mount Hamilton Division baseball just as quickly as Leland erased a seemingly big win for the Acorns on Wednesday at Sarich Field.
Live Oak overcame a 7-3 deficit with an exciting five-run fifth inning only to watch the league front-runners answer with three runs in the sixth to prevail, 10-8, in a battle between bullpens.
These up-and-down games make it difficult to tell which direction the Acorns (6-8) are going, but their 4-7 league mark is good for seventh place. They will visit the Chargers (11-4, 8-3) at 3:30 p.m. today.
Ken Hall started Live Oak’s rally in the fifth with a lead-off single. Rich Martinez traded places with him on a fielder’s choice, then moved to third on consecutive singles by Nick Pusateri and Jakob Conlan. With the bases loaded, Jalen Salazar slapped a run-scoring single to right, and Sean Silveira followed with a sacrifice fly for his second RBI on the day.
Michael Schreiber’s bloop-RBI single made it 7-6, prompting Leland manager Mike Sparrer to sub out starter Daniel Rodriguez for Zach Orozco (3-0). Ryan Muir greeted him with a go-ahead two-run single up the middle, one of his three hits in the game.
Muir (0-1) came in for reliever Nick Robles in the sixth and started strong, gloving a come-back grounder to retire Nick Giotta. But the next five batters reached base, including Trevor Dyer whose RBI single up the middle put the Chargers back in front for good.
Leland closer Trevor Morino struck out the last four batters he faced in a perfect final two innings to earn his second save this year.
The Chargers benefited from a dozen free passes. They led 5-0 in the second inning before Live Oak put two runs across in the bottom half.
Schreiber drove in two runs and collected two hits, including a double, Cody Van Aken tripled and Muir and Hall doubled for the Acorns, who also received two RBIs from Silveira and Muir.
Gabe Chavez batted 3 for 5 and drove in three runs to lead Leland.
SOFTBALL
Held to two hits Wednesday at LOHS, the Lady Acorns capitalized off mistakes and used small-ball to beat Pioneer 3-1 in Mount Hamilton Division play.
The Mustangs (2-1 league) scored on a squeeze play in the first inning and led until the fifth inning, when Live Oak (2-1) put two runs across.
Sophomore Katie Obbema won her second straight decision in relief and singled, Hailey Nelson collected her sixth RBI of the league season, and Rachel Ditta drove in a run, walked and had an infield hit for the Acorns.
Winners of two straight, Live Oak will travel to Leland for a 3:30 p.m. game today.
Santa Teresa 6, Sobrato 0
Anissa Becerril (3-0) tossed a two-hitter Wednesday at Sobrato High School as the Lady Bulldogs fell to 1-2 in Santa Teresa Division play.
Sophomore Nicole Kiles broke up the no-hitter with her first slap bunt, and Emilie Nunez came off the bench to provide another hit for Sobrato, which will host Del Mar at 3:30 p.m. today.
Defensively, the Bulldogs received two big plays from left fielder Jasmine Caskey. The freshman threw home in time to start a 7-2-5-1 rundown in the sixth inning, then made a diving catch in the seventh.
