SALINAS – Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame shortstop/first baseman
Ernie Banks was famous for the saying,
”
Let’s play two!
”
SALINAS – Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame shortstop/first baseman Ernie Banks was famous for the saying, “Let’s play two!”
The Hollister National and Hollister American Little League 11-12 All-Stars will honor Banks’ adage tonight when the two teams meet for the second time in two nights. Hollister National forced the ‘if’ game when it burrowed its way to a 9-3 victory Monday night at Salinas-Ferrasci Field, taking the hammer away from Hollister American.
American does have its ace in the hole, so to speak, available. Steven Cabral, who threw a no-hitter with 15 strikeouts to open the tournament, will be on the mound for Hollister American night after just two days rest.
“Steven’s ready,” said Hollister American manager Steve Ferranti after his stars fell Monday. “Heck. He wanted to pitch (tonight).”
Ferranti feels his team is not under the gun, even though Hollister National looked impressive winning its sixth straight game and seventh in eight outings as it fought through the loser’s bracket.
“There’s no pressure on us,” said Ferranti. “A Hollister team is going to win the District 9 tournament. The best team is going to win.”
Hollister National was clearly the best team team on Monday. Lefty Bret Furtado no-hit Hollister American for the first four innings, striking out the side in the second and fourth innings, using mostly his curveball to do the trick. He finished his five innings worth of work with nine K’s. However, Furtado walked seven batters, showing a spate of wildness. He walked three batters in the second inning and two in the third. Hollister American loaded the bases in both frames, but failed to score each time.
“We had chances to score, but couldn’t get the key hits,” said Ferranti. “They got runners on and had key hits. Plus, we made some errors.”
Hollister American committed all three of its errors in the third winning when the game turned decisively in Hollister National’s favor. Hollister National did some manufacturing early in the inning. An innocent walk to Matt Miguel by Kyle Zozaya started things off for National. Back-to-back errors by Hollister American allowed Miguel to score. With speedburners Anthony Alvarez on at third and Dane Lamanna on at first, Hollister National did some fancy footwork for its next run.
Lamanna led off halfway to second daring Zozaya to run at him. Instead, Alvarez broke enough way from third, drawing a throw from Zozaya to third baseman Alfonso Reyes. Alvarez took off for the plate and was safe when the low throw home got escaped catcher Devon Quintana. Meanwhile, Lamanna hustled all the way to third on the play, but probably would have been out had a throw to third been handled cleanly.
Jeff Hann’s sharp single tallied Lamanna, then Furtado singled to put two runners on. Marcus Synegal – who should be reported to the local fire department because he’s on fire right now – wristed a letter-high 1-2 pitch which just cleared the center field fence for a three-run homer. Synegal made it five RBI’s in the sixth when he doubled in Lamanna and Alvarez. That gave Synegal, who now bats in the clean-up spot in the order, two doubles, a triple, a homer and seven RBI’s in the past two tournament games. The home run was his second of the tourney.
“We were struggling in the four-hole and I put Marcus there,” said National manager Tim Furtado. “Nothing seems to bother him.”
“I like batting fourth because I like hitting with runners on base,” said Synegal, who was gripping his home run ball after the game. “I feel I clutch-up well in those situations.”
Hollister American finally touched a weary Furtado in the fifth. Quintana walked to lead off the frame. With one out, Cabral hit a tape measure shot that hit a tree on the other side of the canal which acts like a moat around the outfield fence. It surely had to be one of the longest home runs ever hit there, estimated by one observer at about 285-feet.
“I told the umpire that that home run should be worth two runs,” joked Ferranti.
American added a run in the same inning when Reyes, who had walked, scored on a wild pitch.
Ryan Whiteside pitched the sixth stanza for Hollister National and retired three of the four batters he faced, hitting Quintana with a pitch for his only blemish.
“Furtado pitched an excellent game,” said Ferranti simply.
Pitching will be key for both teams tonight. Whiteside or Derek Palermo will go for Hollister National against Cabral. Miles Sanchez, Reyes and Justin Terrill each pitched an inning of relief for Hollister American Monday and are all available for pitching duty tonight.
It’s winner-take-all tonight at Ferrasci Field at 5:30 p.m.
Game and tourney notes: Reyes struck out the side in the fifth, facing just three batters…..Tonight’s winner opens up Section 5 play this Friday at Eastridge Field in San Jose against District 39…..In the District 9 9-10 All-Star Tournament, Hollister National bested Hollister American 10-2 to capture the crown. Hollister National also won the title in 1999 and 2000. Hollister National plays the District 12-District 39 victory this Saturday at 11 a.m. at Vets Park.
Hol Nat 006 003 – 9 8 2
Hol Am 000 030 – 3 2 3
Furtado, Whiteside (6) and Hann; Zozaya, Sanchez, Reyes, Terrill and Quintana. WP-Furtado. LP-Zozaya. 2B – Synegal (HN). HR – Synegal (HN); Cabral (HA). 2 hits –Â Hann, Synegal (HN). 5 RBI – Synegal (HN). 2 RBI – Cabral (HA).
