San Benito dusts Bulldogs 19-1; sets sights on Palma in first
match-up of Tri-County Athletic League leaders
Hollister – Two weeks without practice on the field? No problem. Overlooking Sobrato with mighty Palma on deck? Not a chance.
The San Benito baseball team quickly put an end to head coach Michael Luna’s concerns heading into Thursday’s home contest against the Bulldogs. Scoring early and often, the Haybalers pounded Sobrato’s pitchers all afternoon to emerge with a methodical 19-1 victory.
Senior outfielder Josh Torrise said that if the ‘Balers (12-2, 8-1 TCAL) looked as though they were giddy to get back on the field, it was because they were.
“It was like being grounded in your room,” said Torrise of the monotony of indoor-only practices in the past two weeks. “You can’t get outside and practice or anything. We needed something to warm us back up.”
Offensive stars abounded for the ‘Balers. Eight of San Benito’s starters drove in at least one run, eight regulars got at least one hit and eight walked. The ‘Balers recorded six extra-base hits. Most importantly, eleven different players scored in the team’s season-high output of runs.
Though Sobrato (1-8, 0-5 TCAL) took an early 1-0 lead following Danny Nelson’s leadoff walk and an RBI single by Taylor O’Connell, San Benito roared back to take control of the game for good in the second.
Torrise opened with a walk off Bulldogs starter Tim Buich, and then designated hitter Brian Haggett hammered a triple to the rightfield fence to tie the game. The next five ‘Balers all reached base – four via bases on balls – to push the score to 4-1. By the time Kevin Orepeza relieved Buich after a Travis Ross RBI single, the game was already snowballing against Sobrato.
Torrise, batting for the second time in the inning, pushed the ‘Balers’ lead to 7-1 with a two-run single to left. Sobrato center fielder Nelson saved his team from further disaster with a highlight-reel dive to rob Zach Canez of an extra-base hit with the bases loaded, the front end of an inning-ending double play.
San Benito starter Doug Conte gave way to Michael Garcia after allowing the first three Bulldogs to reach base in the third, but the ‘Balers deflated Sobrato’s hopes by nailing baserunner Michael Guio at second on a perfectly-executed pickoff play. Following a strikeout, a Garcia pitch got away from Ross at the plate and Orepeza attempted to score from third. But Ross pounced on the ball and threw to Garcia covering at home in time to get the ‘Balers out of the inning unscathed.
San Benito batted around again in the fourth, sending 14 batters to the plate and seeing all nine players score in the inning. Seldom-used reserve Kevin Gonzales entered the game with the bases loaded and clocked Spencer Leon’s pitch for a pinch-hit grand slam.
Smiling afterwards, Gonzales said the moment was “kind of overwhelming at first. I was trying to get a good hack at the ball, hit the ball hard.”
Breyon Canez was 3-for-3 with a home run, and Torrise finished 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs and 3 runs. Haggett walked twice, in addition to his triple, and scored three times.
San Benito’s pitchers limited Sobrato to just the first-inning single by O’Connell, keeping the Bulldogs at bay throughout the game. The ‘Balers’ trio of Conte, Garcia and Sky Valenzuela allowed six walks and hit two batters, but the pitchers’ coach was just glad to get them some action after a lengthy layoff.
“That was a much-needed outing for those three,” said Luna.
With a visit to Palma looming today, San Benito’s coach admitted afterwards that he viewed the Sobrato game as a potential disaster for the ‘Balers.
“I had … an uneasy feeling (going into the game),” said Luna. “Sobrato has played some teams very tough. They have nothing to lose. … Whether they admit it or not, (my players) were probably looking past Sobrato to Palma. My job was to make ’em stay focused on this game.”
With that mission accomplished, San Benito puts its full attention to the only team in front of it in the Tri-County Athletic League standings. The ‘Balers have yet to face the Chieftains (8-1, 6-0 TCAL), but remain eager to test themselves against what Karson Klauer labeled “probably the best team in the league.”
San Benito ace Breyon Canez (5-0, 0.80 ERA) is rested and ready to face Palma’s deep stable of hitters, but he said the ‘Balers have their work cut out for themselves.
“The way I see it is they’re the team to beat,” said Canez of Palma. “They’re supposed to be the powerhouse.”
The San Benito–Palma contest starts at 4pm in Salinas.
