San Benito Tops Watsonville for First Title
San Jose – As the ball bounced and landed in centerfield, the Lady ‘Balers and their fans exploded in celebration. Before Rachel Maheu could even cross the plate, San Benito’s bench emptied as the joyous players and coaches spilled out of the dugout.
They had done it! They won the championship! The Central Coast Section title! And thanks to Elena Fata’s game-winning single, they achieved something that had never been done before. San Benito’s first-ever softball championship!
The Lady ‘Balers knew that just one run would be enough – with pitcher Marisa Ibarra again dominating her opponent – and they put themselves in position to get that run in the first and again in the seventh inning, only to see No. 12 Watsonville escape both times.
But shortstop Fata made sure No. 3 San Benito wouldn’t let the third opportunity slip away in Saturday’s title game at PAL Stadium.
With teammate Maheu representing the winning run at second after a one-out double in the bottom of the eighth, Fata only needed to see one pitch from Wildcatz starter Noemi Torres. The San Benito sophomore ripped the offering just past Watsonville shortstop Audrey Benko and into centerfield to drive in Maheu and vault the Lady ‘Balers to paydirt with the 1-0 victory.
“I just … we had to get that run in,” Fata said after San Benito put an exclamation point on its 29-3 season. “To come up big … that was the best feeling ever.”
And after their predecessors lost in the school’s two previous championship game appearances in 2001 and 2003, the Lady ‘Balers revelled in making San Benito history.
“To be the first team, softball, at the high school to win a championship? It’s a great feeling,” ‘Balers first baseman Ari Romero said.
Added fellow senior Kristen Archuleta: “It’s a huge win and it’ll always be remembered. Perfect. This is a perfect ending. I can’t even explain it. I cried. I’m so happy for our team.”
Fata’s dramatic game-winning hit capped the second straight extra-inning playoff victory for the ‘Balers. After advancing to the Division I championship game on the heels of a win over No. 2 Carlmont in a semifinal classic on May 23 – a contest in which the ‘Balers had been no-hit through eight innings, but prevailed 7-0 in nine – San Benito exhibited a poise beyond its years as it again found itself mired in a scoreless battle.
Despite recording just one hit against Watsonville (19-12) and Torres through six innings – on a leadoff single by Fata in the first – the Lady ‘Balers remained confident that they would prevail.
“It was frustrating,” Maheu said, “but we knew if we could keep it scoreless for at least three innings, we’d win, and we did that today. It’s really exciting. I can’t stop shaking, as you can tell.”
Said San Benito left fielder Audra Brown: “I think there are always going to be those butterflies in your stomach when you’re in the bottom of the seventh inning and nobody’s scored. I guess we’re kind of a last-minute team.”
The Lady ‘Balers could afford their last-minute heroics thanks largely thanks to their freshman starter’s one-hit masterpiece. Ibarra (24-2) hurled her sixth consecutive complete-game shutout, allowing only a fourth-inning single to her counterpart, Torres, and just five baserunners in eight innings.
“She pitched an awesome game today,” said Watsonville head coach Art Doten of Ibarra. “Freshman? Boy, she’s going to be something else.”
But Torres (17-10) was just as effective as the scoreless innings piled up. The Watsonville junior struck out nine and retired 13 straight ‘Balers at one point, calmly working out of runner-at-third, no-out jams in the first and seventh.
“We knew (Torres) was going to be tough,” said San Benito assistant coach Mike Maheu, whose team hadn’t faced the Watsonville ace in its 1-0 and 8-0 victories over the Wildcatz in March. “We know Watsonville well enough to know that they can give us one heckuva game.”
But after Torres notched a strikeout to start the bottom of the eighth, San Benito finally broke through. After falling into an 0-2 hole, center fielder Maheu ripped a pitch into left field for the only extra-base hit of the game, setting the stage for Fata’s clutch knock.
The only downside on the day for the Lady ‘Balers was that they couldn’t share their celebration with head coach Scott Smith, who was in Texas for his stepdaughter’s wedding.
San Benito junior Jordan Lee said that Smith was on the players’ minds throughout.
“We were doing it for our coach because he couldn’t be here,” Lee said. “We just really wanted to do it for ourselves and for him.”
With just three seniors on its roster, and six freshmen and sophomores playing everyday roles, a championship was the farthest thing from the ‘Balers’ minds at the season’s outset.
“At the beginning of the year, we all thought, ‘We’re a young team and this is a re-building year,'” Ibarra recalled. “We thought next year would be our year.”
While next year very well may bring more postseason riches, assistant coach Maheu said this team’s championship will always enjoy a unique spot in San Benito history.
“It’s one of a kind,” Maheu said. “Nobody can do this again. We’re the first.”
