Marisa Ibarra allowed one hit against Trojans just two days
after tossing a no-hitter against Alvarez
SALINAS
Two days after she pitched a no-hitter against Everett Alvarez, San Benito senior starter Marisa Ibarra allowed one hit over six innings of work against host Alisal Wednesday, and the Lady ‘Balers scored a 9-0 win in Tri-County Athletic League play.
San Benito manager Scott Smith wasn’t planning on throwing Ibarra for as long as he did – he was hoping to save his pitcher as much as possible prior to today’s game against Gilroy – but the Lady ‘Balers were unable to plate a run until the fourth inning.
“Their pitcher threw really well,” Smith said. “We hit some balls real hard, but right at them.
“We were having a little bit of bad luck. Thank goodness we stayed patient and began to hit the ball better.”
San Benito’s J.C. Clayton got into scoring position after a leadoff walk in the fourth inning that preceded two stolen bases by the BYU-bound senior. Taylor Powell then singled up the middle to score Clayton and give the Lady ‘Balers a 1-0 lead.
San Benito wasn’t done just yet, though. Later in the fourth, with two outs now, Marissa Adame connected on a solo home run.
“She’s really doing well for a freshman,” Smith said. “She’s hitting the ball real good for us right now.”
The Lady ‘Balers padded its lead in the fifth behind the Clayton-Powell combo. After Clayton singled on and stole second, Powell drove her home with another RBI single.
It was a similar sequence in the sixth as well, when Mari Vallejo singled on and stole second base before Lenae Stevens hit her home with an RBI single.
San Benito, up 4-0 at that point, enjoyed a five-run seventh to blow the game open when Powell’s RBI single plated Clayton and Jessica Vest followed with a two-run homer. Singles by Bre Fata and Marissa Moisa then set up a two-RBI single from Stevens.
Ibarra, meanwhile, rose to the occasion as usual, striking out 13 Trojan batters en route to the shutout victory. She allowed just one walk.
Reliever Daneille Acosta pitched the seventh with a nine-run lead, and allowed one walk while striking out one.
San Benito will host Gilroy today, Thursday, at 4:30 p.m. The Mustangs are fresh off an upset victory against Notre Dame, in which Gilroy scored one in the first and held on for the 1-0 win.
“It made it real interesting,” Smith said.
That’s because the Notre Dame loss puts them in a virtual tie atop the TCAL standings with San Benito, which has just one loss as well. Following today’s game with Gilroy, the Lady ‘Balers (7-1 TCAL, 21-3) will host Notre Dame next Tuesday before traveling to Gilroy the following Thursday.
“We’re gonna get a real test here,” Smith said.
SANB – 000 211 5 – 9 13 1
ALIS – 000 000 0 – 0 1 3
