Survive and move on.
The Hollister High softball team has officially adopted that
motto after a 1-0 squeaker as the fifth-seeded Balers teetered past
12th-seeded Milpitas Wednesday in a first-round Central Coast
Section Division I playoff game.
Survive and move on.
The Hollister High softball team has officially adopted that motto after a 1-0 squeaker as the fifth-seeded Balers teetered past 12th-seeded Milpitas Wednesday in a first-round Central Coast Section Division I playoff game at the Salinas Sports Complex.
The Balers, who had just three hits, are glad to rid themselves of the Trojans Stephanie Park, who befuddled them for the second time this season with a flat curve, which either hit the outside corner or ended up just off the plate.
“We were really impatient,” said Baler head coach Scott Smith. “That pitcher was tough on us, but we were swinging at the first pitch. After the third inning, I gave at least 25 take signs. She’d get behind 3-0 then put on down the middle for a strike. Then she’d throw one in the dirt and we’d swing at it. I’m going to shake the lineup up again. We have some key people in the lineup not producing.”
The Balers (21-9) advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinals this Saturday at the Salinas Sports Complex against 4th seed Independence (18-13). First pitch is 10:30 a.m. The 76ers whipped No. 13 Menlo-Atherton Wednesday 7-1.
The lone run of Wednesday’s Balers-Trojans contest came in the bottom of the seventh when Liz Stewart singled in pinch-runner Nicole Burns from third base. How Burns ended up third was an mini-adventure. Amy Baxter walked and Burns, a junior varsity call-up, was inserted for Baxter to pinch-run. Megan Smith laid down a perfect sac bunt and Scott Smith, who was coaching third base, waved Burns all the way around from first base. The throw came back across the diamond and Burns’ hard slide kicked the ball loose.
“I outsmarted myself,” said Scott Smith. “I saw the first baseman didn’t have a very strong arm, plus she stayed back on the bunt earlier in the game. But this time the first baseman charged so the second baseman covered first. She threw a lazer beam across the diamond and we were lucky. That was a big play by Nicole to kick the ball out.”
The run made a winner out of Dani Hernandez (13-5), who went the distance and recorded four strikeouts. Jenny Maheu beat out an infield hit in the first inning and Kim Dabo singled through the box in the fourth. Dabo stole two bases, but was stranded at third.
CCS D-I notes: In other CCS Division I games, Gilroy blanked Oak Grove 2-0 and will face top-seeded Carlmont at Hawes Park in Redwood City at 2:30 p.m. – North Salinas squashed Mt. Pleasant 6-0. The Vikes play No. 3 Watsonville at the Salinas Sports Complex at noon. – Santa Teresa shut out Aptos 2-0 and will play No. 2 Wilcox at PAL at 12:15 p.m. – All quarterfinal games are on Saturday. – Should the Balers top the 76ers, they would advance to the semifinals vs. the Gilroy-Carlmont victor next Thursday at PAL at 7 p.m. The championship game is May 31 at PAL at a time to be determined.
