On Sunday, one day after the San Benito softball team calmly
pulled two sixth-inning runs out of its back pocket like it was
nothing, manager Scott Smith played a round of golf with his
son.
He was several hours removed from watching his Balers implement
a last-ditch, late-in-the-game rally over Fremont in which San
Benito plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning en
route to a 2-1 victory, and earned its fifth straight Central Coast
Section Division I title in the process.
But while on a quiet golf course Sunday, experiencing those same
day-after thoughts like he had four times before, Smith couldn’t
control his laughter.
On Sunday, one day after the San Benito softball team calmly pulled two sixth-inning runs out of its back pocket like it was nothing, manager Scott Smith played a round of golf with his son.
He was several hours removed from watching his Balers implement a last-ditch, late-in-the-game rally over Fremont in which San Benito plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning en route to a 2-1 victory, and earned its fifth straight Central Coast Section Division I title in the process.
But while on a quiet golf course Sunday, experiencing those same day-after thoughts like he had four times before, Smith couldn’t control his laughter.
“I just couldn’t believe we were CCS champs again,” he said. “And I’ve never had that reaction before.”
San Benito’s 2010 season has an unexpected shine to it.
Although winning the previous four section titles certainly leads to raised expectations, and even turns winning a fifth straight championship into an almost casual accomplishment, this season’s Division I run may just stand out from the rest.
It wasn’t overly dominating like the 2008 season when San Benito outscored its three playoff opponents by a 21-5 margin. And it doesn’t carry the special significance of 2006 when the Balers earned their very first section title, or of 2007 when the team properly defended its No. 1 standing.
No, San Benito’s 2010 championship stands out from the rest because it doesn’t actually fit in with the rest. For the first time in four years it was a brand-new core of players leading the way, but following in the exact same footsteps.
“To me, it’s the biggest deal of all,” Smith said. “I’ve looked at the stats and looked at the book and I’m still wondering, how did this happen? How did they put it all together?”
In years past, one could make the point that San Benito was supposed to win. It had a slew of Division I college talent — Marisa Ibarra (SF State), J.C. Clayton (BYU), Elena Fata (UNLV), Lizzy Gatto (Canisius), Kristen Archuleta (CSU-Bakersfield) — and senior leadership to win four straight titles.
But coming into this year with only one senior — and three freshmen, a sophomore and five juniors cracking the starting lineup — winning it all was the furthest thing from Smith’s mind.
In fact, prior to the season even starting, he actually believed they’d finish in fourth place in the league.
“I’m still shocked,” Smith said on Tuesday night. “I think the whole weekend, with them winning CCS again, it was so surreal for me to see how the kids came together and played.
“The funny thing is the freshmen had no idea how difficult it is … and for them to pull it off in their first year is amazing.”
It was the freshmen who pieced everything together in Saturday’s championship, from Samantha Puentes’ three-hit, two-RBI performance to Brittani Newman’s triple and game-tying run to Megan Sabbatini’s 2.1 innings of scoreless relief.
Unlike in years past, Smith said he emphasized a philosophy this season not of winning, but of improving. In his mind, there were no expectations, no pressure to win.
“If we play our best and get beat, then that’s fine,” he said. “I think they bought into that. I think they were OK if we got beat but played hard, and I think that’s what got us through those last few innings against Fremont.”
Or perhaps it was meant to be?
Following Newman’s triple to leadoff the sixth inning — which was just the second hit of the game for San Benito but sparked the team’s two-run rally — an 18-wheel flat-bed trailer traveled northbound along the elevated U.S. 101 on-ramp in left field.
It was carrying a full load — stacked high and to the edge with, of all things, bales of hay.
Puentes’ game-tying triple followed shortly thereafter.
“I really think this last game was our best game,” Smith said.
Of course, the beauty of this year’s championship — the fact that San Benito was not expected to win but did anyway — completely changes the feeling of 2011.
Having graduated just one senior from this year’s team, San Benito will again be expected to win next season.
Just like old times.
“Everyone said that,” Smith said. “Who knows if it’ll happen next year? But hopefully, the kids will come into practice and put the work in next year.”
