San Benito plates four runs in the seventh to steal 5-4 win over
Oakdale; Hollister Junior League beat North County 8-5, will play
Atlantic Wednesday
Hollister
Ray Rueda’s two-run single in the top of the seventh inning couldn’t have come soon enough. In fact, it came in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, as the San Benito Babe Ruth 13-year-old All-Stars defeated Oakdale 5-4 in the semifinals of the Central California State Qualifier Tournament.
With a late start to the contest, San Benito scored four runs in the last inning – all of which came around midnight on Monday, all of which came with two outs – to score the come-from-behind win.
They’ll play in Wednesday’s championship game, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in Hollister.
“It was pretty dramatic,” manager Angel Rueda said. “I’d be lying if I didn’t think we’d be playing [Oakdale] in the championship.”
Oakdale will play Manteca Tuesday night at 6 p.m. in the semifinal round of the loser’s bracket, with the winner advancing to Wednesday’s final. Since San Benito has yet to lose, though, the Oakdale-Manteca victor would need to defeat the local 13-year-old All-Stars twice to claim the championship.
After giving up just five walks in their previous two games, San Benito allowed 15 walks, as well as one hit-batsman, against Oakdale Monday. As a result, Oakdale jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, and eventually carried a 4-1 edge to the seventh inning as well.
“We started off a little shaky … a little flat,” Rueda said. “We were hitting the ball hard, but just right at people.”
In the seventh, San Benito was trailing by three runs with two outs and nobody on until Skyler Shaw-Fuss singled to extend the game.
After Dalan Hoskins walked, San Benito employed a double steal when Oakdale’s pitcher mistakenly threw from the wind-up. Shaw-Fuss later scored on a wild pitch, and San Benito then loaded the bases.
Trailing by two runs still, Cole Daniel knocked in one run on an infield single, and Ray Rueda followed with his game-winning single that shot down the right field line.
Oakdale managed to put runners on first and second with one out in the bottom frame, but were unable to plate the tying run.
“This is when I feel playing with older kids helps,” Rueda said. “This is why they’re here.”
If San Benito loses the first game in Wednesday’s championship, the second game will commence 30 minutes later.
In the Junior League, which is made up of 13- and 14-year-olds and is under the Hollister Little League, Hollister defeated North County on Monday night, 8-5.
Hollister is now 2-0 in the District 9 Tournament, and will play Atlantic Wednesday at Salinas Ferrasci. First pitch is 5:30 p.m.
Atlantic defeated Hartnell on Monday, 11-10. During the regular season, Hartnell went undefeated and was considered the favorite in this year’s tournament. Atlantic, though, finished second with a 15-3 record.
