San Benito spikers sweep Salinas, improve to 4-2 TCAL
Salinas
The San Benito baseball team beat host Salinas 5-0 Thursday, marking the second win in as many games the for the ‘Balers this week against the Cowboys.
On Thursday, Zach Canez pitched a five-hit complete game shutout for San Benito, striking out six.
“We looked really good today,” manager Michael Luna said. “Obviously Zach, with the way he pitched today, we thought our chances were really good and he looked really good.
“We were able to capitalize on their mistakes.”
Salinas committed three errors and supplied Canez with all the run support he’d need in the fourth inning.
Brian Haggett led off with a double to start the fourth, and after Kyle Zozaya reached first on a hit-by-pitch, the Cowboys walked three batters.
Two of the walks came with the bases loaded and plated a pair of runs for the ‘Balers in the fourth.
Haggett was 2-for-3 and Steve Cabral was 3-for-3 for San Benito.
San Benito is now 6-0 in the Tri-County Athletic League, 13-4 overall.
The ‘Balers will play at North Salinas on Saturday.
SB 000 202 1 – 5 5 0
SAL 000 000 0 – 0 5 3
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
At Salinas, the San Benito boys volleyball team made it four wins in a row Thursday as they swept past the Cowboys in three games (25-10, 25-19, 25-10), and improved to 4-2 in the Tri-County Athletic League.
Erik Rodriguez had 17 kills to lead San Benito, which saw 29 assists from Adrian Rodriguez, 20 digs from David De La Cruz and seven service aces from Roy Powell.
“Like I told the boys, we have to have that killer instinct and be ready for the tournament we have over the weekend,” coach Luis Espinoza said.
The ‘Balers will play in the San Francisco Invitational this weekend at Sacred Heart Prep. They’re slated to play Mitty, Galileo and Chinese Christian.
GAVILAN BASEBALL
Leading San Jose City 8-5 after five innings, Gavilan baseball was headed into unfamiliar territory.
After losing its last four games, the Rams hadn’t achieved success since a Mar. 20 victory at American River College in Sacramento.
But by the time the top half of the ninth inning was over, it was deja vu all over again. The Rams’ starter Joseph Vasquez had worked his way out of jams all game until allowing a bloop single to score a run and then a three-run shot down the left field line by Max Shupe. The next batter popped out to retire the side, but Gavilan now found itself trailing 9-8 and three outs away from another painful defeat.
Instead, the Rams responded by scoring a run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, and then one more in the 10th to win the game 10-9.
“That’s our season in a nutshell if we had lost this game,” Gavilan coach Neal Andrade said. “I would have rather we won it in the ninth, but it’s almost better to win from behind in extra innings.”
Some heads-up plays on the Rams’ part, even as it seemed things were falling apart, made all the difference.
Alex Oberle roped a one-out single over the third baseman to start the ninth inning rally, and was followed by a bloop single by Jorden Newton. The rally appeared it might stall when Oberle rounded second off of Newton’s hit and was caught at third, but Gavilan maintained scoring position by Newton’s awareness to move to second as attention shifted to Oberle.
Drew Anderson kept the game alive with a walk after almost ending the game with a possible stike-three check swing. Luckily for Gavilan, the second base umpire ruled he did not follow through. Newton then moved to third on a pitch in the dirt to Mike Bolin, who scored Newton later in the at-bat with a single up the middle.
Bolin was later caught in a pickle to end the inning but the comeback was complete.
Gavilan got the margin of victory the next inning when San Jose pitcher Matt Medeiros loaded the bases before walking Joel Lopez to bring in the final run. The Rams were put in such a position by Kevin Medeiros, who started the bottom half of the 10th by knocking a double to center field.
“That’s one of the better offensive games we’ve had in a while,” Andrade said. “Hopefully a game like this will get our spirits up and let us know we can win.”
Gavilan is now 8-17, 2-10 in the Cost Conference – South, and will play Saturday at noon at Hartnell.
