Freshman Darin Gillies throws no-hitter in only his second high
school start
Already with 10 arms on their staff, the San Benito baseball team got a whole lot scarier on Saturday.
Armed with a surprise “home” game after the fields at Alisal were flooded from overnight watering, coach Michael Luna handed the ball to 6-foot-4 freshman Darin Gillies after the game was moved to Hollister and Saturday’s probable pitcher was out with an illness.
Despite the last-minute change in location, as well as picking up two big wins over Tri-County Athletic League rival Palma last week, there was simply no letdown in San Benito on Saturday.
In fact, San Benito never let up.
The freshman Gillies struck out six and pitched a no-hitter while the ‘Balers offense, highlighted by a Brian Haggett solo homer, routed the Trojans 10-0 in a short, five-inning affair.
“I told the team, this is a good chance for an upset to happen,” Luna said. “Mentally, we could have been down a little bit or not focused just because of the change.
” … And Darin stepped it up big time … The thing with him is that he had almost every hitter. He was throwing all of his pitches for strikes.”
It was only Gillies’ second start in his high school career, and after throwing three innings and picking up the win against Wilcox last week, he outperformed his previous stint on the mound.
“I thought I pitched good, but the thing about this team is that I have confidence with them behind me,” Gillies said after the game Saturday. “I know every guy on the field behind me – all these guys – will make the play. It’s a big advantage to me because I am just relaxed and not having to worry about anything.”
Gillies only allowed three base runners through five innings, with only a catcher’s interference call in the bottom half of the second stirring any confusion.
Some believed the interference call, which allowed Alisal to take first base as a result, was scored a hit and would wipe out Gillies’ no-no. But after further review, the no-hitter stood as an interference call is not considered an at-bat.
“He dominated,” Luna said. “He doesn’t look like a freshman. He doesn’t pitch like a freshman … He feels he has to prove himself every time he goes out there … and he’s proving it.”
Already confident with the defense behind him, Gillies was most likely at ease with what his teammates were doing at the plate as well.
Bryan Scott’s wall-ball double sparked a two-out rally for the ‘Balers in the top of the first, scoring Haggett, while Scott would plate the second run after Kyle Zozaya’s bloop single into right field.
San Benito added another pair of runs when Zach Canez’ two-RBI double was hit over the left fielder’s head, scoring Spencer Brann and Abel Jacquez from first base.
Brann was 3-for-3 with three doubles, two RBI and two runs scored on Saturday. Said Luna, “Spencer had a great day at the plate.”
The ‘Balers had nine hits on the day, with Haggett (2-for-3) having a multi-hit game.
The San Benito second baseman led off with a towering home run into right field in the third, already his third of the season, while Brann followed with a two-RBI double.
Bret Furtado scored on a wild pitch in the fourth, while in the fifth, Ronnie Fhurong hit a two-RBI double to the gap in right center, giving the ‘Balers a 10-run cushion.
While Luna feels his team needs to do a better job with a two-strike count, as the ‘Balers had seven strikeouts Saturday, he said one of the keys to the game was to score first at the start and then gradually build a lead.
Five innings later, with runs scored in every inning for San Benito, “that’s what they did,” Luna added.
The ‘Balers (6-2, 3-0 TCAL) will now host Alisal (0-8, 0-3 TCAL) on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Interestingly enough, minutes after Gillies recorded his first no-hitter at the high school level, which ended on a 6-4-3 double play, he didn’t seem to let it get in the way of what the team’s goals were.
“It doesn’t matter,” Gillies said. “The team won. We’re 3-0 and we’re still rolling.”
