After enduring a tough stretch in which it lost four out of five games, the San Benito High baseball team seems to be getting healthy just in time for the start of next week’s Central Coast Section playoffs.
The Haybalers, who were 20-6 overall and 16-1 in Monterey Bay League Gabilan Division play entering Thursday’s regular-season finale against Monte Vista Christian, will need to be at full strength considering they’ll be playing in the powerhouse Open Division, which features all of the ‘A’ league champions and teams that have accumulated the most power points.
This is the first year the section will have an Open Division for the baseball playoffs, and what better way for San Benito to make history than to win its first CCS championship in school history in what is shaping up to be arguably the toughest field in section history.
“If you’re going to win a CCS championship, you want to do it against the best teams,” Aviles said. “We’ve got some momentum going into the playoffs, and everyone is in great shape. Our (pitching) arms are fresh, and overall as a team we’re right where we want to be.”
The Balers have been without one of their best players, center fielder Garret Kelly, for the last couple of weeks. On Monday, Aviles said he was hoping Kelly could return in the team’s season-finale against Monte Vista Christian on Thursday.
Aviles said it wasn’t a coincidence that the team’s slump in mid-April happened to occur at around the same time when Kelly got sidelined with a lower back strain.
Kelly is one of the team’s best hitters, and he covers a ton of ground in center field. The team has also been boosted by the play of second baseman Tony Amaral, third baseman Junior Rodriguez and backup catcher Caleb Menez, who scored a game-high three runs in a 7-2 win over Live Oak on May 10.
David Werolin, Brandon Granger, Jared Penzo and Tommy Hernandez combined on a three-hitter.
Rodriguez usually bats cleanup and Amaral has been a sparkplug at the No. 9 spot in the order. Menez has been particularly productive lately, making it hard for Aviles to keep him out of the lineup.
Menez happens to be a very good catcher on a team featuring one of the best in the section in starter Zack Moeller.
“Zack is a stud, and if Caleb keeps swinging the way he’s been swinging, we might have to make some adjustments to keep him in the lineup,” Aviles said.
Speaking of studs, right fielder Dylan Yamasaki has been a hitting machine since the beginning of the season. Entering the week, Yamasaki ranked first on the team in average (.481), at-bats (77), runs scored (22), hits (37), RBI (27), on-base percentage (.539) and slugging percentage (.714).
Even more incredible, Yamasaki has more walks (nine) than strikeouts (seven). San Benito’s pitching has been nothing short of dynamite, particularly Greg Steinbeck, who allowed just four hits and struck out six over six innings n a 8-0 win over Christopher on Tuesday.
Since losing to Pacific Grove on April 26, the Balers have won five straight games, in the process clinching their ninth league title in the last 10 years.
“It’s very special to win league,” Aviles said. “When the streak was broken last year, we wanted to come back with a vengeance.”
