Young Lady Balers now have that winning touch
There was actually a time when the Central Coast Section
Division I softball playoffs had a different champion each year.
Remember that?
In fact, there’s been only two teams
– Monta Vista in 1987 and 1988, and North Salinas in 2002 and
2003 – which have won the D-I title in back-to-back seasons.
Young Lady Balers now have that winning touch
There was actually a time when the Central Coast Section Division I softball playoffs had a different champion each year. Remember that?
In fact, there’s been only two teams – Monta Vista in 1987 and 1988, and North Salinas in 2002 and 2003 – which have won the D-I title in back-to-back seasons.
But not a single team has won it three years in a row, let alone back-to-back-to-back-to-back – that’s four backs – until the Lady Balers did it this past season when it triumphed over Gilroy for the second straight year.
While Mitty owns Division II, and Notre Dame of Salinas controls the Division III ranks, the San Benito softball dynasty has officially staked its claim on D-I.
“It’s amazing – four straight,” said starting pitcher Marisa Ibarra, who finished her four years at SBHS with a 108-11 record and four CCS titles. “It’s amazing and unheard of in San Benito history.”
And CCS history, for that matter.
But what may set the fourth title apart from the other three, though, was the simple, youthful way it was accomplished.
Yes, there was an unforgettable three-run triple by Jessica Steigelman that capped a two-out rally for the Lady Balers and lifted them past Gilroy, 4-3. And then there’s the pretty cool fact that seniors Ibarra, JC Clayton and Bre Fata know absolutely nothing about what it feels like to finish runner-up.
But San Benito’s fourth title was special because of the make-up of the roster.
Anchored by the three senior infielders, San Benito manager Scott Smith fielded a lineup that included two sophomores and a freshman in the outfield, a freshman behind home plate, and a pair of sophomores at shortstop and first base.
In softball, anything can happen with a shutdown pitcher like Ibarra in the circle and a lockdown defense behind her. But youth and inexperience is usually the factor that knocks good regular season teams out of the playoffs. That is, at least, what history has shown us.
“They’ve learned to play relaxed,” Smith said prior to the CCS final against Gilroy.
You want relaxed?
How about when freshman Taylor Powell connected on a two-run triple against Piedmont Hills to give the Lady Balers the lead for good in the CCS quarterfinals; or when freshman catcher Marissa Adame threw out a Wilcox base runner at third base to sophomore shortstop Jessica Vest in the semifinals; or, of course, when the sophomore Steigelman crushed a three-run triple in the bottom half of the sixth to give San Benito a one-run lead on Gilroy going into the final frame of the CCS championship?
“It’s a tribute to the senior leadership that they’ve got,” Smith said.
Although San Benito will be losing three key seniors next season, it will be returning a young core that already has championship experience.
And few D-I teams can stake that claim.
