The San Benito Haybalers squandered a 5-1 lead entering the
fifth inning to rival Palma on Wednesday, as the Chieftains plated
four runs in the fifth and three runs in the sixth en route to a
key, come-from-behind 8-5 victory in Tri-County Athletic League
play.
SALINAS
The San Benito Haybalers squandered a 5-1 lead entering the fifth inning to rival Palma on Wednesday, as the Chieftains plated four runs in the fifth and three runs in the sixth en route to a key, come-from-behind 8-5 victory in Tri-County Athletic League play.
The win improves Palma to 11-2-1 in the TCAL and moves them back into first place, while San Benito is now in second place with an 11-3 mark.
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The Chieftains’ lone tie, however, a 1-1 game against Gilroy from March 17, will be completed this Friday at Gilroy. The two teams postponed the game from earlier this season due to darkness.
That make-up game will carry significant weight in the TCAL, as did Wednesday’s game between San Benito and Palma. The Chieftains had previously defeated the Balers by a 2-1 margin on March 29, meaning Wednesday’s win over San Benito ensures the Salinas school of the season series as there is only one meeting left between the two schools.
The Balers appeared poised to knot the series on Wednesday, though. Winners of six straight, San Benito led 4-1 through three innings following a three-run third, and tacked on another run in the top half of the fifth.
But Palma knotted the game in the home half of the inning with four runs scored.
The Chieftains got the last word with a three-run sixth inning, too.
San Benito manager Jason Bugg noted a “freak play” in the game-changing fifth inning, though, when the Balers saw their 5-1 lead evaporate.
With a runner at first base, Palma hit a high-chopper over the mound. Starting pitcher Darin Gillies instinctively chased after the ball, Bugg said, while shortstop Ryan Jacob charged for the ball as well, and the two collided as a result on the infield.
Jacob hit his head on Gillies’ rib cage, Bugg said, knocking the wind out of the hard-throwing right-hander, although he did stay in the game.
“He wanted to go,” Bugg said. Gillies tossed some warm-up pitches following the collision, and said he was fine afterwards.
But reports after the game revealed Gillies suffered a bruised sternum on the play, and he is expected to miss at least a week. Jacob, meanwhile, is day to day.
“He gutted it out and gave us everything he had,” Bugg said. “He did a good job, but some kooky stuff happened.”
Palma posted four runs as the fifth inning progressed, and three runs an inning later off relievers Robert Soto and Skyler Fuss.
“But that really turned the game around,” Bugg said of the fifth inning.
Palma had a way of finding no-man’s land on the infield as well. Of the Chieftains’ last three runs of the game, Bugg said two of them were on infield hits.
“The balls they hit were in tough spots, and we lost every battle on that one and it cost us,” he said. “They put the ball in play and we didn’t make the play.”
Two charged errors and seven walks issued didn’t help one bit.
At the plate, San Benito connected on eight hits, including two hits apiece from Marcus Sabatte and Craig Slibsager, who also had three RBI in the game.
San Benito will have another chance to top Palma later this season, on May 6 in Salinas. The Balers will focus their attention now on Salinas, though, which will be visiting Hollister on Friday at 4 p.m.
SANB — 013 010 0 — 5 7 2
PALM — 010 043 X — 8 9 2
