San Benito holds off seventh-inning rally by Gilroy to win
4-2
Confidence is having your No. 2 hitter sacrificing with one out.
But then, No. 3 hitter Elena Fata is so good at the plate that the strategy pays off more often than not for San Benito.
Thursday’s game with Gilroy was a case in point. Twice, Rachel Maheu moved a runner up a base with one-out bunts. Each time, Fata delivered RBI hits that scored speedy JC Clayton as the Haybalers won 4-2 and clinched a tie for the Tri-County Athletic League title.
“We’ve been working a lot on our weaknesses,” Fata said. “We’ve worked on our sacrifice bunts and hitting the ball to the right side. JC is the quickest player on our team. Her speed is deceiving.”
Actually, Fata had three hits and three RBIs for the game. Each of the hits scored Clayton, who also had three hits including one where she beat out a routine grounder to third base.
“If she gets two hops on the ground she’ll beat it out,” Haybalers’ coach Scott Smith said.
Still, it took a well-hit double play to end the game after Gilroy made things uncomfortable for the ‘Balers in the seventh.
Trailing 4-1, the Mustangs loaded the bases with none out on an infield single by Jasmine Perez, Patty Olvera reaching on an error and Alicia Reese being hit by a pitch. Pierotti’s fielder’s choice grounder to the right side scored a run and gave Gilroy runners at second and third. Brittany Balanesi hit a hard, low liner that Clayton grabbed at her shoetops and turned into a double play.
“Fortunately she was in the right spot to end the ballgame,” Smith said. “A low ball like that if it gets to the ground they score two runs and tie it.”
San Benito (28-3 overall, 10-1 TCAL) scored twice in the third inning. Danielle Scibuola drew a one-out walk and moved to second on Clayton’s infield single. After a second out, Fata laced an RBI single to center. Lizzy Gatto followed with her second double of the game to score Clayton, but Fata was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
The ‘Balers, winners of 14 of their last 15, added runs in the fifth and seventh following the same script – Clayton singled, Maheu sacrificed and Fata single.
Four runs are generally more than enough for sophomore right-hander Marisa Ibarra, who sailed through four innings allowing two hits and striking out six.
But Gilroy scored in the fifth as Alicia Reese singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on Brittany Balanesi’s base hit, and scored on the front end of a double steal.
“I feel like we’re playing really good,” Smith said. “We started out well, hit a lull and now seem to be peaking. Hopefully, it will carry over into CCS.”
Fata is taking nothing for granted, even though the ‘Balers TCAL finale is May 10 at home with North Salinas, a team San Benito beat 11-0 earlier in the season.
“I feel pretty good about how we’re playing,” Fata said. “Hopefully, we’ll take care Thursday (against North Salinas). Then we’ll think about taking it all the way to CCS.”
San Benito 002 010 1 – 4 10 2
Gilroy 000 0101 – 2 5 2
Ibarra and Perreira; Olvera and Balanesi. 2B-SB, Gatto 2.
