Local teams do well in CCS openers
When it comes to prowess at playing on a diamond come playoff
time, the Tri County Athletic League proves itself every year.
On Wednesday, the opening round of the Central Coast Section
playoffs got underway for both softball and baseball. And by the
time the dust had settled, the TCAL had a number of teams advance
to today’s quarterfinal matchups in both sports.
Local teams do well in CCS openers
When it comes to prowess at playing on a diamond come playoff time, the Tri County Athletic League proves itself every year.
On Wednesday, the opening round of the Central Coast Section playoffs got underway for both softball and baseball. And by the time the dust had settled, the TCAL had a number of teams advance to today’s quarterfinal matchups in both sports.
In softball the defending Division I CCS champion Acorns of Live Oak took the first step toward winning the Division II title by crushing No. 11 seed Mountain View High 10-0. Today, the No. 6 seed Acorns will face the tournament’s No. 3 seed team, Archbishop Mitty, which enjoyed a bye week in the first round. That contest will take place at 10:15 a.m. on Field No. 2 at the Salinas Sports Complex.
Shortly after the first pitch is thrown in that game the No. 6 seed Mustangs of Gilroy High will go up against their rivals and the 2006 TCAL Champion Balers of San Benito High.
The Mustangs advanced to the quarterfinal showdown against the No. 3 seed Balers by ousting No. 11 seed Mount Pleasant 4-0 on Wednesday afternoon in Salinas.
So far this year the two league rivals have faced each other twice. Gilroy won the first game and San Benito took the second. But with a record of 26-3 overall and a freshman pitcher who is one of the best in the section there is no doubt that the Balers will be hard to beat again this year.
“We’ve got to come out in the first inning and score right away,” said Gilroy High Softball Coach Katherine Hallada.
Against Mount Pleasant the game proved to be a defensive battle before Gilroy scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth. The inning was highlighted by a three-run homer by freshman right fielder Jasmine Perez.
Prior to the match up against Mt. Pleasant, Hallada’s biggest concern was in the hitting department. The first-year coach also brought up some underclassmen players from the JV team in order to give the team more speed on the base paths, which, in turn, could help pave the way for more scoring opportunities.
Although the Mustangs took to the field without sophomore catcher Brittany Balanesi, who broke her finger last week in a game against Salinas High, and centerfielder Liz Ines, who sprained her thumb and was battling a hurt shoulder, the Mustangs did have senior hurler Sarah Villar on the mound. Villar had excellent command of her pitches and was instrumental in her team’s postseason advancement.
Against the Balers, Gilroy will need to be firing on all cylinders.
“We have great defense but our hitting has been either on or off,” said Hallada. “Hollister is on a streak right now. They are holding their heads up high and are ready to take the CCS. They know they can do it. Their pitcher is great. But at least we’ll enter the game knowing that we can beat them.”
On Wednesday the Balers took it easy while Head Coach Scott Smith watched the Gilroy game in order to scout both squads and devise his game plan.
“It’s typically a bigger advantage when teams don’t know us and how we play,” said Smith. “We steal a lot of bases and run a lot of special plays that they (Gilroy) get to know from playing us. I do feel like we stack up well against Gilroy.”
Like any softball game at this level, the deciding factor is expected to be pitching. The Mustangs will have Villar on the mound and the Balers will go with their freshman standout – who was recently named league MVP – Marissa Ibarra. This season Ibarra has posted a record of 22-2 and is currently riding on a 17-game win streak.
Her ERA this season is also a remarkable 0.63. But that doesn’t mean that Smith is going to overlook Villar.
“If she gets a liberal strike zone where they are calling the outside corner, she can be real tough,” said Smith. “We’ve each beaten each other once. They beat us I n the second game of the year, but we are a much different team right now. It’s always different this time of year; you lose one, and you’re out.”
While the Baler softball team was enjoying its bye in the opening round the Baler baseball team played like they should have received a bye too. On Wednesday the No. 3 seed Baler baseball team clubbed No. 14 seed Oak Grove 18-1 in a game that was stopped by the 10-run mercy rule in the fifth inning.
“This is really a special group,” said Baler coach Mike Luna, who took over the program two years ago. “The chemistry on this team is exceptional. They love playing baseball. None of them want to leave the field.”
Today the Balers will be playing at 10 a.m. at PAL Stadium in San Jose in the quarterfinals. And whether the game is against No. 6 Santa Teresa or No. 11 Piedmont Hills (took place after press time), Luna didn’t care.
“Santa Teresa should win that game,” said Luna, who coached Leigh High School in San Jose to a CCS title in 2000. “They have excellent pitching – three guys who can really bring it.”
But the Balers have some guys who can bring it too, and they are well rested.
“Ryan McFall will probably pitch the next game,” said Luna. “I have a lot of confidence in him. And I know if we win that game, we’ll have to face Bellarmine in the one after that. I’d like to have (Breyon) Canez for that one.”
Against the Eagles, the Balers left-handed ace, who was perfect 7-0 in league this year, threw only 25 pitches before Luna pulled him because the game was already so lopsided and because he wanted to save him for another start.
“The CCS allows them to pitch 10 innings a week,” said Luna. “So we could use him Saturday (Today) or the next game. I know all of the games aren’t going to be as easy as this one.”
The other team that played Wednesday was No. 7 seed Gilroy High against No. 10 seed Archbishop Mitty. The No. 8 seed Live Oak baseball team played on Thursday afternoon after press time against No. 9 seed Burlingame.
