San Benito overcomes sluggish start; opens TCAL season with 15-4
blowout at North Salinas
Salinas – After an 11-day layoff, the San Benito baseball team could be expected to be a bit rusty when it took the field at North Salinas yesterday. But after a lethargic start, the Haybalers came to life in a four-run fourth inning and eventually emerged with a dominant 15-4 victory.
“At first, everyone had to get back on track,” said senior Ryan McFall, who relieved starting pitcher Breyon Canez and held the North Salinas hitters down long enough for the ‘Balers’ offense to kick in.
After San Benito’s game at Gilroy was postponed due to weather concerns on Monday and rained out on Tuesday, yesterday’s game became the Balers’ first crack at a Tri-County Athletic League opponent. San Benito defeated the Vikings three times in 2005, all by a double-digit margin, so the visitors entered the contest in search of a big win.
San Benito used a two-out rally in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead on singles by second baseman Karson Klauer and catcher Travis Ross, but then North Salinas starter Shane Cluck settled down to retire the next six batters.
Canez, throwing just the first inning in a tune-up for Friday’s game against Live Oak, walked the first two Vikings he faced and saw North Salinas center fielder Ryan Ralston score to tie the game at 1 heading into the second.
With San Benito holding a slim 2-1 lead after three innings, ‘Balers head coach Michael Luna wished his team had been dialed in from the start.
“We talked about [bringing] a sense of urgency, and that didn’t show up until the third inning,” said Luna, who also commended North Salinas’ Cluck for keeping his hitters off balance in the early going.
But once San Benito hitters made some adjustments–being more aggressive at the plate, moving up in the box and hitting to the opposite field–the offensive onslaught began.
The bottom of the ‘Balers’ lineup gave the team a spark in the fourth inning, as Justin Andrade, Josh Torrise and Jacob Boyd hit consecutive singles. Klauer followed with a two-run double to center to push San Benito’s lead to 6-1.
Once Cluck exited after throwing 81 pitches in completing five innings, the ‘Balers jumped all over the Vikings’ relief core.
San Benito sent 13 batters to the plate in the sixth and victimized North Salinas relievers Matt Papurello and Ralston for nine runs.
The Vikings (2-6) completely fell apart in the inning, allowing five walks, hitting two batters, committing two errors and throwing two wild pitches. Incredibly, San Benito generated the nine runs with only two hits. But one of those hits was the decisive blow.
Striding to the plate with the bases loaded and three hits already under his belt, Klauer crushed a ball to the leftfield fence, clearing the bases and putting the ‘Balers up 9-3 with his double.
Klauer spoke of the turnaround the ‘Balers experienced as soon as they started attacking the Vikings’ pitches.
“We needed to come out and hack–come out swinging early” said Klauer, who finished 4-for-4, with two doubles, five RBI and three runs scored. “We should beat these guys, so it was good to get it done.”
North Salinas head coach Eric Olsen said the game got away from his team once the Vikings’ pitchers lost control of the strike zone.
“All it takes is strikes,” said Olsen, whose team fell to 0-2 in league play. “When you get into walks, it starts to hurt you.”
Ross finished 2-for-3 with a walk, a run and one RBI for San Benito, while Torrise finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs. Boyd scored three times, and Andrade and Canez, who finished the game at first base, both scored twice.
Ralston walked three times and scored twice for the Vikings, while shortstop Tramaine Lamb finished 1-for-2 with a run and a walk.
San Benito registered 12 hits to North Salinas’ two on the day.
‘Balers sophomore righthander Zach Canez completed the game and drew praise from his coach for his presence on the mound and trust in his defenders.
“He competed in the strike zone and that’s all I ask him to do,” said Luna. “Keep the ball in the zone and share the ball.”
San Benito improved to 5-1 on the year and, most importantly, got back in rhythm as the TCAL season gets going in earnest. With Live Oak, the defending league champion, coming to town tomorrow, the ‘Balers were glad to get their first TCAL victory under their belts.
“I’d call this a tune-up win,” said McFall.
The ‘Balers are set to host the Acorns tomorrow at 3:30pm.
