Roundup: Lady Balers suffer 2-0 loss; Baseball team wins TCAL
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Notre Dame center fielder Brittney Giammanco’s throw to the
plate to get a sprinting Samantha Puentes out at home would have
tied Tuesday’s Tri-County Athletic League showdown for San Benito.
Instead, it may have provided the visiting Spirits with an added
boost of momentum.
Roundup: Lady Balers suffer 2-0 loss; Baseball team wins TCAL outright
Notre Dame center fielder Brittney Giammanco’s throw to the plate to get a sprinting Samantha Puentes out at home would have tied Tuesday’s Tri-County Athletic League showdown for San Benito. Instead, it may have provided the visiting Spirits with an added boost of momentum.
“I think we were still positive, but I think that it gave them some momentum,” San Benito manager Scott Smith said.
With runs always at a premium between the two teams, Notre Dame dodged a game-tying bullet in the fourth inning, then converted its dugout excitement into an insurance run in the fifth en route to a key 2-0 victory over the Lady Balers on Tuesday – the win supplying the Spirits with at least a share of the TCAL title.
San Benito’s (9-2, 20-4) game against Gilroy on Thursday was held after The Weekend Pinnacle’s press time.
“For our record, it was big. But in our mind, it was just another game,” San Benito starting pitcher Paige Miguel said of the close loss to Notre Dame. “I think we played solid. It was just the little things.
“The simple things is what cost us runs.”
With only four hits between the two teams on Tuesday – two hits apiece – it was Notre Dame that took advantage of costly San Benito miscues.
With two on and two out in the second inning, Notre Dame plated the only run it would need when Giammanco’s flare to left field scored the runner from second. The inning was over just seconds later as Baler Brittani Newman cut off the throw home and instead got the second Notre Dame runner out at third base, but the Spirit run stood, nonetheless.
“I thought we had the girl there out at home, and we had a brain fart,” Smith said. “But that stuff happens.”
SBHS Baseball
After earning at least a share of the Tri-County Athletic League title with Friday’s win over Palma, the San Benito Haybalers claimed the league title outright on Tuesday when they easily defeated host Alisal 19-1 in six innings of play.
Pounding out 20 hits against Alisal, the Balers carried a 7-0 lead through three innings of play before eventually posting a nine-spot in the sixth.
The game was called in the sixth inning due to the 10-run rule.
Darin Gillies went 4 of 4 in the game with a double and a home run – his fourth of the season.
