Lady ‘Balers fall 3-2 in 9 innings to Notre Dame at Charlie
Miguel tournament
Sunnyvale
Playing under international rules, the San Benito Lady ‘Balers lost their semifinal game 3-2 in nine innings to league rival Notre Dame Saturday in the Gold Division of the Charlie Miguel Invitational Tournament.
San Benito went 4-1 in the tournament after posting a 5-0 victory against Everett Alvarez earlier in the day, and improved to 9-4 overall.
Saturday’s semifinal against Notre Dame, though, was played under international tiebreaker rules, which stipulate that after seven full innings is reached, a runner starts at second base to begin each inning.
San Benito’s JC Clayton homered in the fifth, while Notre Dame’s Maile Kim countered with a home run in the sixth to send the game to extras.
After Notre Dame took a 3-2 lead into the bottom half of the ninth, San Benito put two runners into scoring position, but couldn’t plate the tying run in the end.
Manager Scott Smith said they were playing for the win.
“Notre Dame is a very good team. They have a lot of talent,” Smith said. “To play them for nine innings and to play them tough, they’re a good team and it’s a good measuring-stick.
“We’re really gonna work hard on the mental part of the game (this week) … They have a big heart. They want to win. They just need to relax.”
Marisa Ibarra pitched nine innings, allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out seven.
The ‘Balers trailed 2-1 in the bottom half of the eighth when Elena Fata slapped in Rachel Maheu from second base, tying the game and sending it to a ninth inning of play.
Notre Dame went 6-0 in the Charlie Miguel tournament and eventually won the championship.
Earlier on Saturday, San Benito beat Alvarez for the second time in as many games, 5-0.
Doing their damage in the middle innings, San Benito plated all five runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings, highlighted by a Bri Romero two-run homer in the fourth.
Ibarra allowed just two hits over seven innings and struck out eight to get the win.
Clayton and Maheu each went 2-for-3 against Alvarez.
San Benito will return to league play Tuesday when they travel to Salinas to take on Alisal at 4:30 p.m. The Lady ‘Balers will have their chance to avenge Saturday’s defeat when they host Notre Dame Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
EA 000 000 0 – 0 2 1
SB 002 210 0 – 5 9 0
ND 000 001 011 – 3 7 0
SB 000 010 010 – 2 9 2
