Technically, the championship game of the 44-year-old Cupertino
Host Lions Baseball Tournament was played Saturday. Figuratively,
it was Friday, when Hollister High faced Archbishop Mitty at PAL
Stadium in a game rescheduled twice after two rainouts.
SAN JOSE – Technically, the championship game of the 44-year-old Cupertino Host Lions Baseball Tournament was played Saturday. Figuratively, it was Friday, when Hollister High faced Archbishop Mitty at PAL Stadium in a game rescheduled twice after two rainouts.
The afternoon weather Friday was tailor-made for baseball as the sparse 1 p.m. crowd grew by the numbers as the game waned on. As for the game itself, the Balers found out what a team does when it executes when it gets runners on base, doesn’t walk batters and plays solid defense. The Monarchs did all three for the first six innings and that was enough for a 9-7 triumph.
Hollister made the score intriguing with a six-spot in the bottom of the seventh after Mitty coach Bill Hutton yanked Monarchs lefty Jason Codiroli (3-3), who was cruising at the time. The Balers had seven hits off Codiroli and left a total of eight baserunners on against him. However, the key to Codiroli’s success was that he never allowed the big blow to get the Balers (16-5) untracked.
“I told my kids before the game that Hollister was serious about this game and that it was like a CCS matchup,” said Hutton, whose team is now 12-6 after beating Terra Nova 12-5 in the title game. “We had to come out and match Hollister’s intensity. Neal (Andrade) does an outstanding job with that team. That team is well-coached. Credit goes to my team, though, for making plays on defense and making big pitches when we had to.”
The Balers, who defeated Homestead on Saturday 7-2 to wrap up tournament play 3-1, could have folded collective tent down 9-1 with last licks coming. With the crafty Codiroli – who had six strikeouts and just one bases on balls on his ledger – out of the game, the Balers went to work against Monarchs reliever Chris Norton. Norton issued a one out walk to Eric Diaz Jr., then Nathan Rowe singled. A wild pitch put runners on at second and third.
Anthony Synegal, who is enjoying a fine season at the plate, stung a double down the left field line for two Baler runs. Gordon Ross singled off the glove of the Monarchs third baseman, who threw the ball away as Synegal scored. Steve O’Connell reaced base by an error as Ross came home.
Brent Fulgoni proceeded to park one over the left field wall for two more runs and the Balers had officially chased Norton. Danny Dressman, who is on partial ride at Notre Dame next year, retired the next hitter for the final out, earning a save.
“We were able to see what a team can do when it executes for six innings, moving the runners up, things like that,” said Andrade. “Then when we executed offensively in the seventh and they let their defense down, we saw what happened there. We could have folded in that seventh, but we didn’t.”
Diaz Jr., who had seven K’s in six innings, hurt himself with two walks in the first inning. Both runners scored when Tyler Duran took a 3-2 curveball and singled into left-center. Duran had a big afternoon with four RBI. Pat Ferguson drove in the needed insurance (unexpected at the time) for the Monarchs with a 2-run single in the seventh.
Looking back, the Balers yielded a critical unearned run in the fourth then allowed Ryan Hanson to move up a base from first to second in the sixth on a wild pitch. Brian Yocke capitalized with a two-out RBI single to center.
“Mitty’s a good team,” said Diaz (6-3). “We learned a lot of things today.”
“Hollister will probably be seeded higher than us in the CCS Division I playoffs,” said Hutton. “We might have to travel there for a home game.”
Baler bits: In the win over the Mustangs, Diaz had a two-run homer, his third of the year. Josh Badillo, Rowe and Synegal each had doubles. Fulgoni, who had three hits for the Balers on Friday, followed that up with another three-hit game on Saturday. Rowe earned the win on Saturday. – Hollister is at North County in a non-league game on Wednesday at 4 p.m. – What appears to be a showdown for the Tri-County Athletic League title takes place April 30 when Live Oak visits.
Mitty2020014-982
Hollister0000106-7122
Codiroli, Norton (7), Dressman (7) and Haniger, Anido (7); Diaz Jr., Kramer (7) and Synegal. WP-Codiroli (3-3). LP-Diaz Jr. (6-3). HR – Fulgoni (H). 2B – Conan, Duran, Ferguson (M); Synegal (H). 3 hits – Fulgoni (H). 2 hits – Duran, Ferguson (M); Rowe, Synegal, Ross (H). 4 RBI – Duran (M). 3 RBI – Ferguson (M). 2 RBI – Synegal, Fulgoni (H).
