Hollister
– With its showdown with Notre Dame looming, the San Benito
softball team went into Tuesday’s matchup with Alisal looking to
pick up momentum and regain some focus.
Hollister – With its showdown with Notre Dame looming, the San Benito softball team went into Tuesday’s matchup with Alisal looking to pick up momentum and regain some focus.
And with their 7-0 win over the Trojans, its safe to say the Haybalers are feeling pretty good as they prepare to take on the defending Tri-County Athletic League champion Spirits on Thursday.
Sophomore pitcher Marisa Ibarra was dazzling, striking out 17 batters while pitching her second no-hitter of the season. Her only blemishes were a pair of walks.
“I felt pretty confident,” Ibarra said. “I was really confident in my defense that they’re not going to give up any hits.”
While the defense did play error-free ball, it had very few opportunities. There were only four balls hit into play on the day and the last 10 outs came by strikeout.
“Because we’re playing Notre Dame next, we told (Ibarra) she needs to pitch like she’s facing Notre Dame,” San Benito coach Scott Smith said. “And she’s tough. She pitched well.”
While the offense was quiet in last week’s 1-0 win over Alvarez, the bats came alive in this one.
Lizzy Gatto led the way by going 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. Audra Brown blasted a pair of triples and had an RBI, leadoff hitter JC Clayton was 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored, and Elena Fata had a single, double and an RBI.
“I’m glad we were able to be solid all the way around,” Gatto said. “It was good today because the whole line-up was hitting.”
The ‘Balers jumped on top with two runs in the first. Clayton led off with a walk, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch before Rachel Maheu singled her home.
Maheu moved to third on a pair of wild pitches and scored on Gatto’s infield single for a 2-0 lead.
San Benito added to it in the second. Ashley Perreira reached on a leadoff walk and courtesy runner Kelsey Russell moved to third on two passed balls. Russell scored on an infield single by Clayton, who advanced to third on the play on a throwing error and later scored on another throwing error to make it 4-0.
Ibarra kept mowing down the Trojan hitters and the ‘Balers scored twice more in the fifth.
Gatto blasted a leadoff homer and Brown’s second triple of the game scored Lindsey Clay, who had reached on a fielder’s choice. Fata’s double in the sixth plated Gatto for the final run.
Smith felt this game was a perfect tune-up for the ‘Balers game with Notre Dame, a team it split its league games with last year and owns a win over this year in the Circle of Champions semifinals.
“She’s a good pitcher,” Smith said of Alisal’s hard-throwing Kristal Gutteriez. “I’m glad we faced her because she throws a lot like Notre Dame’s pitcher (Sarah Solis). That’ll help prepare us.”
Alisal 000 000 0 – 0 0 6
San Benito 220 021 x – 7 8 0
Gutteriez and Sevillo. Ibarra and Perreira. WP – Ibarra, LP – Gutteriez.
2B – Fata (SB). 3B – Brown (SB) 2. HR – Gatto (SB).
