Brian Haggett, Zach Canez each hit two-run homers, ‘Balers beat
Wilcox 10-0
Santa Clara
In their final game before the start of the league season, the San Benito Haybalers received three strong innings from Darin Gillies and powered their way past Wilcox with 10 runs on 10 hits in a shortened five-inning contest Saturday at Santa Clara’s Washington Park.
It was San Benito’s third and final game of the Mike Hazlett Tournament, and the freshman Gillies, in his high school debut, threw three innings of one-hit ball and struck out five, including the side in the second inning, to lead the ‘Balers to an easy 10-0 victory.
“You could tell he was a little nervous, but after he got into a rhythm, he wanted the ball and he was confident,” coach Mike Luna said of Gillies. “He was outstanding.”
Gillies’ only hit allowed didn’t come until the third inning, and at that point, San Benito had already pocketed eight runs behind a pair of 2-run homers from Brian Haggett and Zach Canez.
Haggett was 2-for-3 with two RBI, while Canez was 3-for-3 with three RBI. Tyler Provost and Nick Acosta each added an RBI for San Benito, and Dane Lamanna was 1-for-1 with two walks and three runs scored.
Reliever Jacob Eichhorn preserved the shutout with two innings of no-run ball and struck out three, all in the fourth inning.
After the game, Luna said his one concern was getting the offense going early in the game.
“But hitting is contagious,” Luna added. “After we put those three runs up in the first inning, it snowballed.”
In the first, Provost hit an RBI single to center, scoring Canez from second, while the lefty Haggett displayed opposite field power with a 350-foot homer to left-center field.
In the second, Lamanna led off with a single, and after Greg Huth pushed Lamanna to second on a sac bunt, Canez turned on a pitch that wound up well over the left field wall, and gave the ‘Balers a 5-0 lead.
“We played really well offensively, defensively and pitching,” Luna said.
Staying with the offensive trend, San Benito plated three more runs in the third. Spencer Brann scored on a wild pitch, while Canez made it a 3-RBI day with an infield single that scored Lamanna.
On Canez’ RBI single, Wilcox was charged with a throwing error that scored Huth. Acosta got into the mix in the fifth, hitting an RBI double, and he would later score on a Wilcox fielding error.
The ‘Balers (3-2 overall) will now open the Tri-County Athletic League season on Tuesday when they host Palma at 3:30 p.m.
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