San Benito baseball
&
amp; softball teams draw No. 3 seeds in CCS playoffs; ‘Baler
baseball opens against Oak Grove while Lady ‘Balers earn
first-round bye
Hollister – The San Benito baseball and softball teams have worked all season for this. Months of practice, battling the foul weather and tackling tough opponents in and out of league play have been geared toward putting themselves in the best possible position to excel once the Central Coast Section playoffs arrive.
And on the eve of the postseason, the Haybalers realized an important fruit of their labor when the CCS seeds were announced on Saturday. Both the San Benito baseball and softball teams were awarded the No. 3 seed in their respective Division I fields.
The ‘Baler baseball team opens play tomorrow by hosting No. 14 Oak Grove. Its softball counterpart received a first-round bye and is set for a quarterfinal date on Saturday with the No. 11 Mt. Pleasant – No. 6 Gilroy winner.
With power points accumulated throughout the season based on victories over ‘A’ and ‘B’ league teams, as well as bonus points for a league championship, both ‘Baler teams expected the seed they received.
“I anticipated that,” San Benito softball coach Scott Smith said.
Knowing that only a St. Francis victory over Serra in Saturday’s West Catholic Athletic League tournament championship game could alter his team’s probable third seed (and CCS No. 1 Serra won the WCAL title), ‘Balers baseball coach Michael Luna was pleased.
“I’m very happy with that number there,” Luna said of his team’s No. 3 seed.
With six powerhouse WCAL schools entered in the 16-team Division I baseball field, Luna was thrilled that San Benito’s quadrant would appear to give the ‘Balers a bit of a breather.
“If we’re fortunate enough (to win our first two games), we’re not going to play a West Catholic school until the semifinals,” Luna said. “Those schools are always the favorite, no matter what.”
Should the ‘Balers defeat Oak Grove (13-13) in the opening round, they would advance to a quarterfinal meeting on Saturday with the No. 6 Santa Teresa – No. 11 Piedmont Hills winner. Should the seeds hold, San Benito (23-4) would then face No. 2 Bellarmine in a semifinal showdown next Wednesday.
As for his team’s first-round foe, Luna was still doing his homework on Oak Grove.
“I don’t really know much about (the Eagles), except that they play in a very competitive league,” the San Benito coach said. “Looking at their record and at their scores, they’ve been in every single ballgame.”
The Eagles finished fifth at 9-12 in the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s Mt. Hamilton Division. Mt. Hamilton champion Leland was awarded the No. 4 seed in Division I.
The only other Tri-County Athletic League team in the Division I field is Gilroy. The No. 7 Mustangs host No. 10 Archbishop Mitty tomorrow.
As for the Lady ‘Balers, Smith was pleased his team drew one of just three opening-round byes in the Division I softball field. Seeded behind No. 1 Lynbrook and No. 2 Carlmont, San Benito (26-3) may very well face a most familiar foe in the quarterfinals.
“I think we’ll end up playing Gilroy on Saturday,” Smith said.
The Lady ‘Balers and Mustangs split their two contests this season – with the road team winning each time.
Smith said the potential Gilroy and Carlmont match-ups mean San Benito has a difficult road ahead.
“I think we got one of the tougher draws in the tournament, as far as the competition,” Smith related. “It’ll be a tough CCS, but I think we can do it.”
