The big aluminum sticks were out at Vet’s Park Thursday night as
the two best softball teams in Division IV of Hollister Recreation
fought it out for the overall title.
The big aluminum sticks were out at Vet’s Park Thursday night as the two best softball teams in Division IV of Hollister Recreation fought it out for the overall title.
Ornelas Gardening-Palmer Gardening swung it best in a 23-13 victory over Bertuccio’s Farms in a line-drive fest which had fielder’s on their toes and sometimes off them. The way hitter’s battered searing liners, it was ironic that the last out of the game recorded was a pop-up in short left field by Steve Grimsley, which was caught by one of the strongest shortstops in the country – Andy Parra. Parra was a former offensive lineman for Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo.
Taking flight in the biggest day at the plate was Ornelas-Palmer’s Sal Ornelas. Ornelas crunched an RBI triple in his club’s six-run first inning, then bombed a three-run homer which sailed over the left field fence in the second. He added a triple and a single, though after the game, Ornelas had thought he had hit for the cycle.
Nope. It was better than that.
Eddie Flores, who was the winning pitcher, contributed a two-run home run in that first inning as the Ornelas-Palmer had eight hits.
Bertuccio’s made a little noise at the plate and in the on deck circle in
the bottom of the first. Todd Freitas belted a two-run roundtripper, then some controversy ensued when Joe Tonascia stood in the batter’s box with what was determined to be an illegal bat. Armando Barragan, Program Director for Hollister Recreation, informed plate umpire Richard Silva that Tonascia’s bat wasn’t legit. Tonascia had to pick another piece of metal.
“I’ve been using that bat all season, now they want to tell me it’s illegal,” said Tonascia. “It didn’t affect the outcome of the game, but it affected us psychologically.”
Down 16-7 in the bottom of the fifth, Tonascia didn’t seemed fazed by using a substitute bat when he absolutely creamed a three-run homer over the left-center field fence. The ball was reported to put a six-inch hole in the ground as the collision registered on the Richter Scale. Tonascia’s bomb put some life back into Bertuccio’s and got them back in the game at 16-10.
Grimsley’s RBI single followed a Rodney Williams double for another run.
Ornelas-Palmer answered back quickly in the top of the sixth. Jose Rivera singled in a run, then a two-run single by Oscar Jacquez pushed the lead to 19-11. Danny Chavez’ liner to left-center found Freitas charging fast. The ball went off Freitas’ glove then hit his left knee. As he was down for the count on the turf, two runs came across the plate. Freitas finally had to come off the field with a lump on his knee and did not return.
Sal Ornelas’ RBI single added another run.
John Red Eagle manufactured a run with his electric speed. He beat out an infield single, then went to second when the ball was overthrown, barely beating the relay. George Ocampo hammered one deep to center, which was flagged down nicely by Jacquez. Red Eagle tagged up on the play and scored all the way from second base, sliding hard into the Ornelas-Palmer catcher, upending him in the process.
OP’s Pete Jacquez capped off a showcase evening for his club when he legged out an inside-the-park home run in the top of the seventh for good measure.
The win was sweet revenge for Ornelas-Palmer, which fell to Bertuccio’s during the regular season.
“They hit the ball well tonight,” said Ocampo, who was robbed on another occasion when his menacing drive to right was snared by Luis Espinoza.
“We’ve been on fire the last four of five games,” said Chavez, the Ornelas-Palmer captain. “Our bats have really come together. And we’ve been playing good defense, too.”
Other results: In a Division I second place showdown, Spike’s/Mt. Mike’s outslugged the Blazers 16-15 in a game which featured a combined nine home runs. Anthony Bautista belted a two-run shot in the top of the first for the Blazers. The overall winner of Division I was Mt. Mike’s, which won the first half playoff and the second half regular slate…..State Farm squeaked by Greenwood Chevrolet/Dent Pro 38-5 to capture the Division II championship on Wednesday night….Team Pistol as the Division III winner, while DBA Electric took Division V….Denice-Felice-Breen continued dominance in the Women’s Division.
