Sobrato rallies late in league opener Wednesday against Mount
Pleasant
MORGAN HILL — Tales from the Lady Bulldogs’ victory over Branham last weekend seemed far off during Wedneday’s 7-2 loss to Mount Pleasant.
Where was the fire, poise and competitive juice that fueled the 8-2 beating of an ‘A’-division Blossom Valley Athletic League club? It was missing until late in the red and gray afternoon at Sobrato High School.
“We just didn’t have it mentally today,” shortstop Nicole Larson said.
“Things were definitely different against Branham,” coach Gene Ciraulo added. “When we beat them, everything worked; everyone was there and in the right spots; everything offensively and defensively just clicked.”
That possibility in mind, the Bulldogs weren’t too concerned with their Santa Teresa Division-opening loss to the team that finished second behind Branham in the ‘B’ league a year ago. Their starting battery is in recharge mode; pitcher Katie Machado is recovering from a bout with pneumonia, and catcher Kallie Klinger is on vacation until next weekend.
That one absence caused a major lineup jumble.
“With Kallie gone, we had to move everyone around,” said Machado, who struck out two while switching with Frankie Kellett for the first four innings. “I’m still not back at 100 percent either, so we had to juggle people at like four positions.”
Celeste Acosta did not help. The Cardinals’ junior ace had a no-hitter going until the sixth inning, when Larson doubled and Kaley Lefore tripled in consecutive at-bats to drive home Sobrato’s only runs. Kellett added a single in the seventh for her team’s third and final hit.
Acosta struck out 16 and walked three.
“She has a very tough riseball,” Larson said. “She was throwing a lot of high stuff, and we were getting anxious. It’s not like she didn’t feed us anything we couldn’t handle; she just did a great job getting ahead in the count. We knew what she was going to throw, and she still put it past us.”
By the middle of the fifth inning, SHS fans were jokingly hoping the day’s scheduled showers would show up. No such luck.
“That’s another thing that affected us a little. We weren’t really expecting to play,” Larson said. “I think we need to work on our mental toughness.”
As quiet as their offense was, the Bulldogs flashed some leather. Among their biggest plays was the first at-bat when Larson’s relay throw from freshman left fielder Taylor Di Sibio was in time to put out Rebecca Lopez at third base.
In the sixth inning, Di Sibio fully extended to glove a line drive and save a run. The next play saw sophomore center fielder Samantha Ribeiro throw out Lopez with a rope to catcher Heather Johnson, who normally plays third base.
“Those were two terrific plays,” Ciraulo said. “Sam’s very consistent with that throw, cutting down runners. People don’t realize how strong she is. Taylor, we all thought that ball she caught was gone.”
Sobrato did commit four errors, which gave way to four unearned runs in the third inning and another one in the sixth. Those weighed on the Bulldogs at the plate.
“The girls don’t quit, but mistakes get to anybody,” Ciraulo said. “The main thing we’re going to focus on is trying to make as few mistakes as possible next week.”
Sobrato will be down to nine players for spring-break league games at Santa Teresa on Wednesday and at Del Mar on Friday. Larson and Machado will be out of town. The Bulldogs will have back Allyson Stoner, who has been rehabbing an injury.
“We definitely want to try and rally next time,” Machado said. “We’re going to try and keep our spirits up.”
Lizette Carraso drove in two runs and batted 3 for 4 with a double to lead Mount Pleasant, and Katalina Zarate scored twice.
Ribeiro crossed home for Sobrato’s first run after drawing a walk in the sixth inning. Larson scored on Lefore’s drive into the gap in right-center field.
