A five-run first inning, capped by a Matt Hawk two-out, two-run
double, propelled the San Benito Babe Ruth 13- to 15-year-old
All-Stars past Lodi 13-3 last Thursday in the Central California
State Qualifier Tournament championship, completing a four-game
sweep for the locals through the District 1 bracket.
HOLLISTER
A five-run first inning, capped by a Matt Hawk two-out, two-run double, propelled the San Benito Babe Ruth 13- to 15-year-old All-Stars past Lodi 13-3 last Thursday in the Central California State Qualifier Tournament championship, completing a four-game sweep for the locals through the District 1 bracket.
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San Benito, which outscored its four opponents by a 52-13 margin, will now advance to the Central California State Tournament, slated to begin Friday at Lodi’s Tony Zupo Field, located at 350 N. Washington Street. The team will open the eight-team tournament with yet another contest against Lodi, too, although it is expected to be a different team than the one San Benito defeated twice in the District 1 tournament.
“The team they put in districts is not the team we’re facing in the opening round (at state),” San Benito manager Al Lopes said. “According to them, it’s their ‘A’ team.”
Since Lodi is hosting the state tournament, their Babe Ruth program received an automatic bid to the state tournament — no matter what transpired at the district level. The draw, meanwhile, simply matched up two teams from District 1 in the first round.
The winner will advance to the quarterfinal round against either Madera (District 2) or Selma (District 3).
“We just need to play solid defense. We’ve got the pitching,” said Lopes, whose team committed seven errors in the last two games, but received impressive pitching outings, nonetheless. “If our errors shape up, I definitely like our chances in this tournament.”
The errors didn’t hurt San Benito much during last week’s tournament, not when the team combined for a .407 batting average and received solid pitching from Jordan Lopes and Tony Diaz, among others.
In the championship against Lodi, Lopes surrendered three runs on three hits, striking out seven, while Patrick Frusetta pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning to end the ball game.
The game was called in the sixth due to the 10-run rule.
San Benito plated just about all it would need in the opening inning, when the local All-Stars sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs, including a two-run single by Cody Asp and Hawk’s two-run double.
Although Lodi got one run in the home half of the inning, San Benito responded with two runs in the third on a Jordan Lopes two-run single, and another two runs in the fifth on a Jorge Acosta two-out, two-run single to left.
Again, Lodi responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth, cutting the deficit to 9-3. But again, San Benito answered with four runs in the sixth behind an RBI double by Hawk, an RBI single by Edgar Arriola and a two-run double by Dominic Padilla.
“That was the Matt Hawk show, that game,” Lopes said.
Frusetta’s inning of relief in the sixth closed the door on Lodi, which also lost to San Benito in the opening round of the state qualifier tournament on July 1. In that game, it was a 10-0 victory for San Benito, which powered past the host team behind the starting pitcher Lopes, who tossed a no-hit shutout by striking out 15 and walking four in five innings of work.
With only 15 outs in the game for Lodi, each out recorded was via a Lopes strikeout. The All-Star also connected on a home run to lead off the game.
“If I didn’t see it myself, I wouldn’t have believed it,” the manager said of the pitching performance.
Later in the tournament, San Benito topped Modesto 13-4 and Tracy 16-6 to advance to the title game against Lodi.
Against Tracy, Tony Diaz “threw a strong game” when he scattered six hits and struck out nine. Lopes again connected on a leadoff homer in the game, while Acosta hit a three-run home run in the third.
“That pretty much set the tone the whole way through,” Lopes said of the game against Tracy.
San Benito will now face Lodi to open the state tournament on Friday night. First pitch is 7 p.m.
Babe Ruth — 16-18
The San Benito Babe Ruth 16- to 18-year-old All-Stars won their first two games of the Central California State Tournament before dropping its most recent contest on Sunday night against Watsonville.
San Benito, which won its opener over Hanford 3-2 and defeated San Luis Obispo 9-0 to advance to the semifinal round, lost to Watsonville by a 12-2 margin Sunday at Veterans Memorial Park in Hollister, and will need to emerge from the elimination bracket in order to reach the championship final and earn a second date with Watsonville.
San Benito will square off against Hanford for a second time on Monday night at Vets Park in Hollister. First pitch is 6 p.m.
The championship, meanwhile, is scheduled for Tuesday night at Vets Park. First pitch is 5 p.m. A second game, if necessary, would be played approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1.
Little League — Major Division
The Hollister American Major Division All-Stars lost to Gonzales 5-2 on Saturday in the elimination bracket semifinals, and have been eliminated from the California District 9 All-Star Tournament.
Gonzales, which was in the elimination bracket after it lost to Hollister American 4-0 earlier in the tournament, will now square off against Hollister National in the District 9 championship on Tuesday night at North County Little League (F1). First pitch is 5 p.m.
If necessary, a second game will be played on Thursday night in Hollister at 7 p.m.
Little League — 10-11
The Hollister National All-Stars will compete against Hartnell Monday night in the elimination bracket semifinals at Continental Little League in Salinas. First pitch is 5 p.m.
The winner will advance to the California District 9 All-Star Tournament championship against Soledad, scheduled for Wednesday night at Gonzales Little League. First pitch is 7 p.m.
Hollister American, meanwhile, has been eliminated from competition.
Little League — 9-10
The Hollister American “A” All-Stars will square off against the Hollister National “A” All-Stars for the California District 9 Tournament championship on Monday night at Soledad Little League. First pitch is 5 p.m.
If necessary, a second game will be played on Wednesday in Soledad at 5 p.m.
The Hollister v. Hollister matchup transpired after Hollister American “A” defeated Hartnell by a 12-2 margin last Friday to advance to the tournament championship. Hollister National, meanwhile, hasn’t played since July 6 when it defeated Hartnell 12-0.
