San Benito’s Spencer Brann managed to score all the way from
first base on the throwing error and the Balers walked off with a
3-2 victory in 10 innings over Oaks Christian on Wednesday in the
opening round of the 18th Annual Easter Classic in Las Vegas.
LAS VEGAS
San Benito’s Spencer Brann managed to score all the way from first base on a throwing error and the Balers walked off with a 3-2 victory in 10 innings over Oaks Christian on Wednesday in the opening round of the 18th Annual Easter Classic in Las Vegas.
Brann reached first base when he was hit by a pitch with two outs in the 10th inning, and Nick Acosta’s ensuing ground ball to third base resulted in a throwing error to first.
With no one backing up the play, the Oaks Christian first baseman was forced to fetch the ball and Brann managed to score the game-winning run on the play.
“It wasn’t even a close play at the plate,” San Benito manager Michael Luna said. “He made it look easy.”
The victory keeps San Benito (9-2) on the winning track to the tournament championship. The Balers will play again today, Thursday, at 12 p.m. San Benito will play the winner of Wednesday’s game between Churchill County (Nev.) and Vauxhall Academy (Canada).
San Benito’s pitching rotation wasn’t terribly effected by Wednesday’s 10-inning affair. The Balers used just two pitchers to pick up the win.
Darin Gillies (7IP, 1H, 11K, 2BB, 0ER) went seven innings and struck out 11 batters in the no-decision. Gillies allowed just one hit, which came in the first inning off the bat of Trevor Gretzky, son of Wayne Gretzky.
Reliever Dustin Rovella (3IP, 0H, 0R, 1K) retired all nine batters he faced in extras, and earned the win after Brann plated the winning run.
Gillies and Rovella combined for just one hit allowed over 10 innings of work.
Brann helped San Benito get on the scoreboard in the first inning as well. After Trevor Fabing singled on and stole second, Mark Hurley trailed with a grounder to the shortstop, which allowed Fabing to move to third. Brann then followed with an RBI single to right field put the Balers up 1-0.
Oaks Christian, of Westlake Village, pocketed two runs in the third inning, both of which were unearned. A leadoff walk to start the inning was compounded by San Benito’s only error of the game, putting two runners on. Oaks Christian then connected on consecutive ground ball outs, which allowed both runners to score and gave the Lions a 2-1 lead.
The Balers managed to knot the game in the sixth, however, when Brann started the inning with a walk. He then advanced to second base on a ground out, stole third, then plated the tying run on a Kyle Vallejo grounder to second base.
The 2-2 score held until the 10th inning, when Brann sprinted from first to home on a throwing error.
“They threw a left-handed pitcher at us and I thought he was very good,” Luna said of Oaks Christian’s hurler, who was throwing a fastball at 85 mph “consistently” along with a “sharp breaking ball.”
The Oaks Christian pitcher had six strikeouts in the game.
The Balers, who are guaranteed to play four games, will play their second game on Thursday against either Churchill County or Vauxhall Academy.
OC — 002 000 000 0 — 2 1 1
SB — 100 001 000 1 — 3 5 1
