Maui Jimenez hit a two-run inside the park home run helped to spark Sobrato to a season-opening 6-5 win at Silver Creek Tuesday.
Nick Giordano picked up the win on the bump, going five innings, giving up five runs (three earned) on three hits with four strikeouts. He also walked five.
After Brian Martin threw a perfect sixth with a pair of punch-outs, Josiah Liardon picked up the save with a scoreless seventh, where he gave up one hit.
Sobrato went up 3-1 after two innings and eventually saw that lead grow to 5-2 after four.
The Bulldogs picked up an insurance run in the fifth, which paid off as the Raiders rallied for three runs to pull within one of Sobrato.
But that was as much as Sobrato allowed.
Marcus Alipaz helped lead they way, going 2-2 with a walk and an RBI. Bradley Higgins went 1-1 with a walk an two runs scored.
Jared Gunsky and Alejandro Torres both drove in runs.
Cayman Willis also had a strong day at the dish, not recording an official at bat in four plate appearances, walking three times, scoring once and laying down a sac bunt.
Three run sixth stings Live Oak in 7-4 loss
Live Oak gave up three runs in the sixth inning against Branham Tuesday and couldn’t recover despite a strong seventh.
The Acorns lost 7-4 in their season opener at the Ted Tamone Tournament.
Live Oak started the game with a run in the first and held that lead until the third when Branham scored a run in both the third and fourth innings.
Branham tagged the Acorns for two more in the fifth and broke things open in the sixth with a three spot.
Live Oak battled back with three runs of its own, but couldn’t make up the ground.
Zach Riveron went 2-4 with a run batted in, followed by Alejandro Martinez who went 1-3 with an RBI.
On the hill, Kyle Quadros went four strong, giving up two runs on three hits with a strike out.
Justin Sanders pitched two innings of relief, giving up just two hits, but was tagged for five unearned runs. The Live Oak defense committed three errors in the game.
The Acorns were scheduled to play Thursday against a team TBD.
Live Oak follow up the tournament with a game at Sacred Heart Prep Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.
Sobrato routs Gunderson 9-0 in season opener
Mackenzie Mitchell and Morgan Martinelli each hit home runs in Sobrato’s 9-0 win over Gunderson Tuesday to help back up a pitcher who was dealing to the plate.
Samantha Torres threw a one-hitter in the five-inning game and struck out seven. She retired the first 11 batters she faced until a hard-hit ground ball found the gap between the third baseman and the shortstop. Sobrato was playing its fielders near the edge of the grass, which could have made for a bang-bang play at first, but the ball took a bad hop and squirted past the left fielder.
That allowed the runner to advance to second.
It didn’t matter, however, as Torres got the next batter to ground out to her.
The Bulldogs got off to a fast start in the first after Torres struck out the side.
Sobrato’s 1-3 hitters all scored to start the game, en route to a 7-0 lead after the first frame.
Heather Sjostedt broke the game open with a two-RBI bases loaded single. She later scored on the second of consecutive bases loaded walks that finished off the scoring.
Sobrato added runs in the second and third to go up 9-0.
The Bulldogs were scheduled to take on Leland at home Thursday, weather permitting.
