San Benito inched closer to its first Tri-County Athletic League
softball title Tuesday by beating the team that’s maintained a
stranglehold on the league’s top spot for the past five years.
Hollister – San Benito inched closer to its first Tri-County Athletic League softball title Tuesday by beating the team that’s maintained a stranglehold on the league’s top spot for the past five years.
Behind more stellar pitcher from ace sophomore Marisa Ibarra, the Haybalers shut down and shut out Notre Dame in a 3-0 victory.
“We were pretty pumped up,” Ibarra said of the showdown with the Spirits, who have won all four TCAL titles since the league’s inception and were champions of the Monterey Bay League the year prior. “We knew we had to come out ready.”
Ready is exactly what Ibarra and the ‘Balers were. While the offense staked San Benito to an early lead, Ibarra was busy facing just one batter over the minimum on her way to a one-hit shutout.
She was perfect through the first 4 2/3 innings until Kylie Linnane reached on an error. Linnane didn’t advance, and Ibarra had the no-hitter intact until Kelly Mast led off the seventh by hitting a soft liner that landed just on the grass behind third base.
That runner was immediately wiped out when Maile Kim hit a liner to right field that was caught by Danielle Scibuola, who rifled to first for a double play. Scibuola followed that by fielding a hard grounder on the next play and throwing the runner out to end the game.
“The past couple of weeks (Ibarra) wasn’t throwing as hard, but she was throwing hard today and hitting her spots,” San Benito coach Scott Smith said.
The ‘Balers offense provided the confidence early with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first off Spirits starter Linnane.
JC Clayton led off with a single and Rachel Maheu drew a walk. Elena Fata followed with a groundout to the pitcher that moved the runners over and Lizzy Gatto delivered an RBI groundout. Lindsay Clay provided the exclamation mark with a booming triple to right field for a 2-0 lead.
“I thought the key for us was the hit for JC,” Smith said. “We’ve scored a lot of runs in the first and that was key for us to get started.”
The ‘Balers added insurance in the third when Fata hit a one-out triple and on the first pitch to Clay, scored on a wild pitch. Clay eventually blasted a double in the at-bat, but was stranded.
The win gives San Benito (26-3, 9-1 TCAL) a two-game lead over Notre Dame and (21-6, 7-3) and a 1 1/2 game lead over idle Salinas (16-7, 7-2) with two games remaining. A win in its 4:30pm Thursday game against Gilroy would clinch the ‘Balers at least a share of the league crown. If they win and Salinas loses any of its final three games, San Benito takes the title outright.
“We just have to bring the momentum into Thursday and take the same intensity,” Ibarra said.
Notre Dame 000 000 0 – 0 1 1
San Benito 201 000 x – 3 7 1
Kylie Linnane, Sarah Solis (4) and Colleen Whitaker. Marisa Ibarra and Ashley Perreira. WP – Ibarra, LP – Linnane.
RBI – Lizzy Gatto (SB), Lindsay Clay (SB). 2B – Clay. 3B – Clay, Elena Fata (SB).
