LOHS overcomes four-run deficit only to fall 5-4
MORGAN HILL — Against last year’s league runner-up, the Lady Acorns’ Mount Hamilton Division opener could have been a lot worse Wednesday at Live Oak High School.
In essence, their 5-4 loss to Leigh was a minor victory. The Acorns’ objective in the preseason was to make ready for the Blossom Valley Athletic League ‘A’ division by scheduling some of the best teams in the Central Coast Section.
They were up to the Longhorns’ challenge. Live Oak rallied from a 4-0 deficit to tie it with back-to-back two-run innings but couldn’t answer Jenn Amaral’s go-ahead RBI base hit in the seventh.
Leigh built its big early lead in the third inning, scoring four runs off five hits including doubles by Kirstie Zimmerman and starting pitcher Lizzie Hogan.
The Acorns clawed back in starting in the fifth inning with Kirsten Doting’s sacrifice fly that scored Hailey Nelson and Erin Leggett’s squeeze bunt that brought home Sam Bejarano. Nelson, who matched teammate Priscilla Orona with a 2-for-3 batting effort, came through in the sixth with a game-tying two-run single up the middle.
With the top of the order coming up in the seventh, LOHS was still in good shape after Amaral’s big hit. Sophomore pitcher Katie Obbema came up with a single — but only after Hogan (6-2) struck out Doting and Kayla Cisneroz. Hogan clinched the win in impressive fashion, getting clean-up hitter Jenna Robertson to ground out.
Obbema struck out seven, and Didi Lopez, Cisneroz and Bejarano had hits for the Acorns, who resume league play Friday at Leland.
