The final out wasn’t made until a little past 9 p.m. Tuesday,
but with that last strike – coming from the arm of 14-year-old
Jacob Trujillo – San Benito Babe Ruth pulled off the unthinkable,
by sending four teams to the Babe Ruth Regionals.
In a historic week for the San Benito Babe Ruth league, three
All-Star teams, the 13s, 14s and 15s, were crowned state champions
Tuesday – a first for the 55-year-old program – and a fourth team
was given an at-large bid to the next round.
The final out wasn’t made until a little past 9 p.m. Tuesday, but with that last strike – coming from the arm of 14-year-old Jacob Trujillo – San Benito Babe Ruth pulled off the unthinkable, by sending four teams to the Babe Ruth Regionals.
In a historic week for the San Benito Babe Ruth league, three All-Star teams, the 13s, 14s and 15s, were crowned state champions Tuesday – a first for the 55-year-old program – and a fourth team was given an at-large bid to the next round.
The four teams are the most the program has ever sent to the Regionals, San Benito Babe Ruth President Angel Rueda said. Four out of the league’s five All-Star teams advanced to the regional tournament.
“This has never been done,” he said. “Honestly, I don’t think this has ever happened before.”
In the past 10 years, the league has only sent two teams this far, he said.
Starting the day, all three teams had to lose twice to be eliminated from competition. The 13s and 15s teams advanced easily.
The 15-year-old All-Stars advanced with a dominating 11-2 win over Madera in Lodi. It was the team’s second win over the Madera All-Stars.
San Benito scored first off a RBI single from Cody Asp, but trailed 2-1 after three innings.
San Benito was used to come-from-behind wins, with three already in the tournament.
“We had a lot of experience coming from behind,” manager Al Lopes said. “That never say die attitude is what this team is about.”
San Benito took full control in the fifth inning. With assistance from some untimely Madera errors, San Benito struck for seven runs. In the inning, San Benito sent 11 batters to the plate.
Marco Cosio had the big blow with a two-RBI single with the bases loaded. That was all the team needed, thanks to seven strong innings from starter Greg Steinbeck.
The team advances to the Regionals in Fowler – just south of Fresno – on Tuesday where they will play Utah.
The 13-year-olds kept pace by beating Orcutt 8-5 in Madera. The team’s next game will be Aug.. 1 in Taylorsville, Utah. Manager Anthony Sotelo did not immediately return phone calls.
It wasn’t so easy for the 14-year-old All-Stars, who lost a big lead in their first game – forcing a doubleheader with Hanford in San Luis Obispo.
For the majority of game one, it looked good for the 14s. With a 4-1 lead in the sixth inning, San Benito looked liked it would advance without facing an elimination game, but things quickly turned for the worse.
“Things just started to work against us,” manager Rueda said. “We weren’t catching any breaks.”
After throwing five near-perfect innings, Tommy Hernandez began to fade. After a throwing error, Hernandez walked a batter and failed to make a play on a bunt.
All of sudden the bases were loaded with no outs.
The next Hanford batter laced a ground ball down the right field line, scoring two. San Benito eventually would fall behind, and lose 5-4.
“It was a slap in the face,” Rueda said. “I told the kids only two things happen after you’ve been slapped in the face. You either stand up and fight or run away.”
He continued, “I told them we’ve got to do it.”
Behind the strong pitching of Tony Amarel, the team did just that. Falling behind 1-0 after the first inning, San Benito scratched out one run in the third inning.
And the score remained 1-1 for the next five innings.
“Tony and (the other team’s pitcher) Aaron Froley were just dealing,” Rueda said. “Tony was matching him pitch for pitch. It was a great pitchers’ duel.”
It wasn’t until the top of the extra-eighth inning before the teams stopped matching zeros. After a leadoff walk to Andrew Breen and a single by Enrique Rodriguez, Cameron Brann drilled a double down the right field line.
The ball, which was fair by less than a foot, caromed of the wall, scoring Breen and sending Rodriguez to third.
The next batter, Hernandez, hit a ball to the shortstop, who was playing back, scoring pinch-runner JoJo Telles. After a couple more hits, San Benito took a commanding 5-1 lead.
To seal the win, San Benito needed one last play from outfielder Alex Garcia, who speared a ball after a head-long dive with the bases loaded.
“It was the play of the game – hands down,” Rueda said. “No doubt in my mind, it would have been an inside-the-park home run and we would have been tied.”
The 5-1 win was the final piece of the league’s Babe Ruth state sweep and an example of the quality coaches and players in the area, Rueda said.
“I think it just speaks volumes about the players and the quality of baseball we play here,” Rueda said.
His team will advance to the regional tournament in Vernal, Utah on Aug. 2. They will open against Northern California.
