While the El Toro Bowl between Sobrato and Live Oak for city supremacy is a highlight of the football season, in the spring baseball and softball take center stage. The teams have produced three barnburners among them so far this season, with another matchup coming up on May 8.
In hardball, Sobrato beat the Acorns 4-3 on April 8 at home, but Live Oak matched that two days later at their ballpark, also with a 4-3 tally.
A week later, the Sobrato softballers exploded late to dump their rival 11-3. That puts the Bulldogs on top two to one. A rematch is scheduled for May 8 as Live Oak tries to even springtime ownership of the city.
After the initial baseball game went to Sobrato, Bulldogs infielder/pitcher Liam Bettencourt reflected on the contest’s meaning.
“We want this town for ourselves,” Bettencourt said.
Oh, but two days later, the Acorns staked their claim. They want the town too.
In the initial baseball match, Sobrato’s Eesa Tover pitched five strong innings and Dylan Brown and Bettencourt each had two hits. Live Oak was led by the bats of Noah Baquiran with three hits and Nathan Bergstrom with two hits.
Before a packed, standing-room only crowd at the Bulldogs’ yard, Sobrato tallied one in the first when Aiden Flores singled down the third-base line, moved up on a walk, stole third and came home on a wild pitch. In the fourth, Sobrato added two more, highlighted by Bettencourt’s double to the right-center gap.
“It was a fastball and outside,” Bettencourt said. “I went with the pitch and hit the ball to the right side. It went into the right center gap and scored a run. We needed all the runs.”
Live Oak broke through in the top of the fifth to get within 3-2. Brady Costa reached on an error, Bergstrom singled to right and Baquiran doubled just inside the left-field line to bring Costa in. A Jack Ruiz sacrifice fly plated Bergstrom.
Sobrato added an insurance run in the last of the sixth. Jackson Raines tripled to right and Bettencourt’s infield single brought him home.
Live Oak would not go away. In the seventh, they opened with consecutive singles from Baquiran and Rice and Adrian Torres bunted them over. Later, a Lorenzo Castellanos comebacker scored one, but Rice was stranded when Trevor Hagen retired Spencer Westfield on a pop to short.
“It was a complete team win,” Sobrato coach James Pozas said. “A little of everything, pitching, hitting. We started hot this season, tailed off a bit but it’s coming around.”
Two days and four miles across town, the Acorns evened the score with their own 4-3 win.
A three-run third put Live Oak on top 3-1 but Sobrato evened the score with a deuce in the top of the fifth. The Acorns notched a run in the last of the sixth to pull ahead 4-3 for the win.
Costa went 2-for-3 and Baquiran, Rice and Castellanos each knocked in a run. Rice threw six solid innings, and Nathan Lozano closed the door with a save by shutting out the Bulldogs in the seventh.
Sobrato was paced by Raines and Flores, each with two hits. The ‘Dogs were dogged by three errors in the game, leading to two unearned runs.
Beyond rights to the city of Morgan Hill, both teams have their eyes on the league title. As the season enters the final few weeks, the Blossom Valley Athletic League, Santa Teresa Division is a dogfight. Sobrato and Lincoln are tied on top at 5-1, with Live Oak and Leland a step back at 4-2.
For the season, the 12-5 Bulldogs are led at the plate by Hunter Rubbo with a .500 average and 21 runs scored, Ashton Fagan at .415 with 20 RBIs, Jackson Raines at .389 and Bettencourt at .383. Tover has a 3.93 ERA through 43 innings pitched and Bettencourt is at 3.61 in 44 frames on the hill.
The Acorns are just 7-10-1 after a rough pre-season but have jelled the last several weeks. Baquiran leads the attack with a .500 average, three homers and 18 RBIs, with Costa at .382. The pitching has sparkled recently, with Austin Meads holding a 2.70 ERA in 45 innings, Costa at 2.80 in 29 innings and Rice at an amazing 1.05 in 23 innings.
Softball competes for town, league
The ball was handed off to the softball squads the next week. The favored Acorns jumped ahead at home and led 2-1 after four innings. But the Bulldogs erupted with 10 runs in the next two innings. Four in the fifth and six in the sixth and Sobrato took the first game 11-3.
Maddie Hankins led Sobrato with 3-for-4 hitting and three RBIs and Amber Rodriguez was 3-for-4 with two doubles. Sunny Fernandez and Julia Carlsen each had two hits. Rodriguez also shined in the circle, pitching 6.2 innings and allowing just three runs, two earned. Live Oak was led by Olivia Mixco and Peyton Goularte, each with two hits.
As with the baseballers, both softball teams have an eye beyond the city limits to the league standings. In softball, both are in the BVAL’s Mt. Hamilton Division with elite competition and more playoff bids. Willow Glen leads at 6-0 and Leigh is 4-2. The trio of Live Oak, Branham and Santa Teresa are 3-3, with Gilroy and Sobrato a game behind at 2-4.
For the season, the 5-6 Acorns are led at the plate by Kayla Tulowitzki with a .440 average, Julia Altamirano at .379 and Goularte at .367. Altamirano and CC Garcia are the top two pitchers. The Bulldogs, 7-10 for the year, are paced by Chelsea Rosyski at .444, Rodriguez at .422, Grace Marchan at .405. Rodriguez and Sam Zimmerman lead the mound corps.
