San Benito named No. 3 seed, could see Piedmont Hills or Mount
Pleasant
Earlier this week, it was unknown as to which team the San
Benito Lady Balers would meet in the quarterfinal round of the
CIF-Central Coast Section Division I playoffs.
San Benito named No. 3 seed, could see Piedmont Hills or Mount Pleasant
Earlier this week, it was unknown as to which team the San Benito Lady Balers would meet in the quarterfinal round of the CIF-Central Coast Section Division I playoffs.
Named the No. 3 seed last weekend, San Benito received a first-round bye as a result, and were awaiting the winner of Wednesday’s first round match-up between No. 6 Piedmont Hills (20-8) and No. 11 Mount Pleasant (18-10), a game which took place after The Weekend Pinnacle’s press time.
But while the outcome was unknown, San Benito manager Scott Smith’s feelings were certainly clear.
That’s because one of San Benito’s four losses this season was to Piedmont Hills – a 4-1 defeat at the Charlie Miguel Invitational in late March – and Smith and the Lady Balers would like a second chance against the Pirates.
“To get another shot at them, I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Smith said. “I think it’s gonna be great for the girls to play Piedmont Hills again and redeem themselves.”
Smith was not present during the March 28 game against the Pirates – he was attending his daughter’s final college softball game at Santa Clara – but the box score shows four recorded errors by the Lady Balers, despite starting pitcher Marisa Ibarra allowing just three hits.
“We’re a different team and they’re a different team,” Smith said. “But that is if we play them …”
Although nothing was set in stone at The Weekend Pinnacle’s press time, Piedmont Hills, being the higher seed, was favored in the game and had previously defeated Mount Pleasant 8-0 at the Charlie Miguel Invitational.
Whichever team it turns out being, though, the Lady Balers will square off against them on Saturday, although times or locations had not been announced.
San Benito, meanwhile, earned the No. 3 seed behind No. 2 Wilcox (20-5) and No. 1 Carlmont (22-5-1), both of which were champions of their respective leagues, while the No. 3 spot also granted the three-time defending champion Lady Balers a complete bypass of any Tri-County Athletic League foes.
At least until the Division I championship, that is.
No. 12 Salinas (15-11-2), No. 8 Gilroy (13-12-1) and No. 4 North Salinas (16-6) all sit on the opposite side of San Benito’s bracket, a fact Smith is pleased about.
“It’s hard for us to go into those games, having beaten each of those teams twice, and not be complacent,” Smith said. “We’re a young team.”
And able to play an opponent like Piedmont Hills which previously defeated you earlier this season prevents complacency, Smith added.
“It adds fuel to the fire,” he said.
“I’m happy we’re not playing Gilroy and North Salinas and Salinas again. Although I’m hoping to play one of them again because that means we’ll be in the championship game. That’d be nice.”
