The San Benito junior varsity baseball team improved its record to 12-1 on Tuesday by rallying for a victory over Santa Cruz.
Facing an 8-5 deficit, the Haybalers scored 12 runs in the sixth inning to earn a 17-8 victory.
Bret Furtado pitched five innings of relief to get the win, entering the game in the second when starting pitcher Kyle Vallejo took a line drive off his forearm.
Santa Cruz broke a 3-3 tie with four runs in the top of the third to make it 7-3, a score that stayed the same until Furtado and Tyler Provost delivered RBI singles in the fifth to cut the Cardinals lead to 7-5.
Santa Cruz added a run in the sixth to take a three-run lead before San Benito exploded.
Ricky Garcia led off with a single and caught Santa Cruz sleeping and took second with the pitcher holding the ball on the mound. Trevor Fabing followed with a single and stolen base to put runners at second and third. Villasenor walked and Furtado singled to score Garcia and Fabing. Marcus Synegal then bunted for a base hit to load the bases and Nick Acosta hit a double to left center to clear the bases and give the ‘Balers their first lead of the game at 10-8.
After a pitching change, Provost singled in a run and Romero Chapa doubled home another. Garcia walked and Fabing followed with an infield single to load the bases before Devin Quintana doubled home two.
With two outs, Marcus Synegal put the finishing touches on the big inning with a three-run homer over the left field fence.
Synegal had three hits and four RBIs. Fabing had three hits and three runs scored. Garcia also scored three runs and Furtado and Acosta finished with three RBIs.
In their 13 games, the ‘Balers have outscored their opponents 109-40 and suffered only a 3-2 loss to Valley Christian. San Benito is 5-0 in Tri-County Athletic League play and will take part in the Carmel Tournament over Spring Break before resuming league action.
