Sobrato beats Live Oak 2-1 in tense softball showdown

They say you can throw out the records when rivals meet. That is not always the case, but it sure was true in the softball battles this year between Sobrato and Live Oak. 

The Bulldogs, four games behind the Acorns in the league standings, completed a season sweep of their crosstown friends with a 2-1 thriller on May 8.

Sobrato won the April 8 game with a late eruption to run away with an 11-3 win. In the rematch on a sunny, windy day at home, the Bulldogs scored single runs in the first two innings to stand up for the win behind the pitching of Amber Rodriguez.

“The energy in the dugout was really good,” Rodriguez said. “It feels really good. Everyone combined was doing their jobs. My screwball was working pretty well, as well as my curveball. My defense definitely had my back on a lot of plays.”

On the other side, Live Oak pitcher Julianna Altamirano was matching her. The difference between the two teams was slight. Sobrato simply bunched hits a bit more. Live Oak scored a run in the fourth and the Bulldogs held them off thereafter.

“We did good, we got some good hits and we put our hearts out there,” Altamirano said. “Though the outcome was not what we wanted.”

The results left Live Oak at 7-5 in Blossom Valley Athletic League, Mt. Hamilton Division play and 9-8 overall. That has them in a tie with Santa Teresa for second place. Sobrato improved to 4-8 in league play, 9-14 overall. 

Sobrato struck first in the home half of the initial frame. Isabel Reichart singled to right and moved up on a Sunny Fernandez bunt single. A Julia Carlsen single to left plated Reichart.

In the second, Maddie Hankins belted a double to deep left center with one out. She scored when Fernandez singled to center. It was 2-0.

Live Oak cut the deficit to 2-1 as Quinn Hulberg-Dana reached on an infield single and scored when Altamirano blasted a double to the right center gap.

The Acorns threatened in the next three frames but the hits were spaced. Eden Svoboda delivered singles in the fifth and seventh and Adia Seider had one in the sixth. But Rodriguez and her defense slammed the door.

The Sobrato defense was superb all day. Center fielder Jordan Bouton made a full-speed running catch in right center in the fourth. The play would have otherwise scored a run and tied the game. 

Two huge highlight plays came from Fernandez. In the sixth, she snared a foul popup with an all-out dive and roll, holding the ball up in her right hand to ensure there was no trap. 

In the seventh, Svoboda singled and the throw to first got by the first baseman. Fernandez had hustled down the line to back up the play and thus could quickly jump on the ball. She then fired a bullet to second baseman Maya Bueno to nail the runner. That avoided a player getting into scoring position and ended the game at 2-1.

“I always try to back up the play, in case something like that happens,” Fernandez said. “I was ready for it. It made for a cool play. We always try to pick each other up and have each other’s back.”

For Sobrato, they get “bragging rights” to the town of Morgan Hill. For both schools, the regular season concludes with games on May 13 and May 15. For Live Oak, the goal is to finish as high in the standings as possible and then look for success in the subsequent Central Coast Section playoffs.

“It is definitely emotional when we play our friends,” Live Oak’s Kayla Tulowitzki said. “Each team played well. It just didn’t go our way.”

Sobrato finishes with Santa Teresa and Branham. Live Oak concludes league play with Westmont and Gilroy. 

“It’s crazy to beat them again,” Rodriguez said. “We came out with so much passion and intensity. It’s a proud moment for the whole team.”