Before the first pitch of Saturday’s Division I Central Coast Section title game against Leland, San Benito starting pitcher Megan Sabbatini was nervous. Despite being a veteran of the title game – having played a role on three championship teams – she didn’t know what to expect.
In the circle, her nerves never made an appearance.
For her final game in a San Benito uniform, the University of San Diego recruit was dominant, throwing a five-inning no-hitter to help lift the Balers to a 10-0 victory over the Chargers at San Jose PAL stadium. She was a fifth-inning walk from a perfect game.
The victory was the Balers’ eighth consecutive CCS title.
“I really was a little bit more nervous than the other CCS game,” Sabbatini said. “Leland is such a great team and they are such great competitors. My warm-up before the game was all right, but I went out there and focused on every pitch and made sure I hit every spot. I knew my team was behind me.”
Sabbatini finished with 10 strikeouts, while she struck out the side in the second, third and fifth innings. Leland couldn’t hit a ball into the outfield all game, and put just five balls into play.
“Her velocity is something you can’t prepare for and she has good late movement,” SBHS manager Scott Smith said. “Her changeup was on. She was locating the ball really well. They have a lot of good power hitters, and we were going to try to hit them inside. And her location was critical – she was just great out there.”
Sabbatini was helped by a two-inning offensive outburst for the Balers.
San Benito jumped on the scoreboard in the first inning after a walk to Adriana Ibarra and a single by Ellie Burley. On a two-strike count, Taylor Fabing turned on a pitch down the leftfield line for a 3-run home run.
“Honestly, I didn’t’ feel anything,” Fabing said. “When you hit the ball good, you don’t feel it off the bat. After the two-foul ball I hit, I just knew that I was on it. “
That hit gave the Balers all the momentum they needed.
“We knew the first inning would be big for us,” Smith said. “They have one of the best leadoff hitters in the CCS. And trying to put a run – I think every game there has been somebody scoring in the first inning. We made that one of our goals to put a run across in the first inning. Last year, Taylor came up big for us, and today she hit a home run.“
After another quick inning by Leland’s offense, San Benito struck for six more runs in the second inning. The Balers pounded six hits as 11 batters came to the plate.
Kim Sparrer came up with the biggest hit, a 2-run triple down the leftfield line to blow open the game.
Every Baler reached base and finished with a hit in the victory.
Look back for more.
