Sobrato’s bats came alive Wednesday as the Bulldogs scored 20
runs in the first two innings of a 21-4 victory over
Independence.
By Jeremy Barousse Special to the Times
Sobrato’s bats came alive Wednesday as the Bulldogs scored 20 runs in the first two innings of a 21-4 victory over Independence.
Eight of the first nine Sobrato batters scored in the first inning of the Blossom Valley Athletic League Santa Teresa Division game.
Senior Ryan Evanger led the offense with a 3-for-3 plate performance and five RBIs, while five Bulldogs each had two RBIs.
Sobrato coach Shorty Gutierrez said that the offense came through in a big way Wednesday.
“Everybody chipped in and got their share of hits,” Gutierrez said. “Everybody swung the bat well and that was key for us coming off of a break.”
Gutierrez said the pitching got better after a shaky first inning from starting pitcher Kevin Sullivan, who walked four batters and gave up three runs.
The Bulldogs hope to keep the chemistry going as they travel to Independence to play the 76ers again at 3:30pm today.
According to Gutierrez, today’s game will be a good warm-up for the Bulldogs’ three-game week next week.
“We are going to face some tough teams,” Gutierrez said. “We want to go into next week on a roll. We need to go in there and take each game at a time.
According to Gutierrez, a few victories next week will put the team into contention in the Santa Teresa Division.
“Our pitchers are pitching well and we are hitting the ball,” said Gutierrez. “We are in striking distance.”
The Bulldogs are now 10-8 overall, 7-6 in BVAL.
Softball
Sobrato came up short Wednesday, losing to Oak Grove 13-6.
The Bulldogs kept it close, trailing 7-6 until the fifth inning when the Eagles erupted for six runs to break the Blossom Valley Athletic League Santa Teresa Division game open.
Sobrato coach Ron Piper said it was the errors in the fifth inning that hurt the most.
“The wind came into play and we made a bunch of errors,” Piper said. “But truthfully, I think we played our best game of the season.”
Piper said the entire team agreed with him that Wednesday’s loss was the best it had played this season in light of the opposition. The Eagles (6-4, 5-1) are second the Santa Teresa Division.
Senior Chelsea Hrupek and freshman Frankie Kellett each had three hits and two RBIs. Kellett was a standout on the defensive side as well with eight put-outs at shortstop. Sophomore Danielle Clampett also chipped in with three hits.
Though the Bulldogs (7-10, 2-5) faltered during the late innings Wednesday, Piper and the team are still thinking positive.
“The important thing for us is not the winning and the losing,” Piper said. “We are moving forward, and that’s what is important to us now. We hung in with a second-place team, and that’s an improvement.”
Piper said his team has performed better than he imagined.
“The season is going better than we hoped for,” Piper said. “We have seven wins which is a step forward for the girls. We have been playing a lot better. Next game we want to get back in the win column.”
The team will play Prospect on Friday at 3:30pm.
