Samantha Puentes hit for the cycle, Megan Sabbatini tossed a
three-hit shutout, and the San Benito Haybalers moved one step
closer toward clinching the Tri-County Athletic League title on
Thursday with a 10-0 victory over Notre Dame in Salinas.
SALINAS
Samantha Puentes hit for the cycle, Megan Sabbatini tossed a three-hit shutout, and the San Benito Haybalers moved one step closer toward clinching the Tri-County Athletic League title on Thursday with a 10-0 victory over Notre Dame in Salinas.
The game was called in the fifth inning due to the 10-run rule, after San Benito exploded in the fourth inning with six runs scored.
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Puentes was 4 of 4 at the plate with a single, double, triple and home run, scoring three runs in the process and knocking in three runs as well.
She tripled to lead off the game in the first inning, then later scored when teammate Jessica Vest connected on a sacrifice fly to right field to stake the Balers to an early 1-0 lead.
The one-run cushion was all Sabbatini needed, meanwhile. The San Benito starting pitcher limited the Spirits to just three hits in the shortened five-inning game, while striking out eight batters and walking just one.
The win improves the Balers to 8-0 in the TCAL, 22-1 overall. The team is just one win away from clinching at least a share of the league crown, two wins away from claiming the TCAL title outright.
San Benito will visit Salinas Monday in a makeup game at 4:30 p.m.
Thursday’s win over Notre Dame marked the third straight time this season the Balers have defeated the Sprits, after the Spirits had rifled off six straight wins against Balers in previous seasons.
San Benito connected on 11 hits in the game, seven of which were for extra bases, including three doubles, three triples and one home run off the bat of Puentes.
Jessica Steigelman had a multi-hit game as well with a single and a double, while Mari Vallejo and Nicola Rianda each had a triple and Marissa Adame smacked a double.
San Benito will enter the final week of the regular season next week. Following its makeup game at Salinas Monday, the team will host Alisal Tuesday and Everett Alvarez Friday for a doubleheader.
All games start at 4:30 p.m., with the exception of Friday’s doubleheader against Alvarez, which will begin at 3 p.m.
SB — 103 60X X — 10 11 1
ND — 000 00X X — 0 3 0
