The Comeback Kids headed to Ukiah for regionals

Just call them the Comeback Kids.
The San Benito Babe Ruth 15-and-under All-Star team was nothing short of spectacular in the state tournament, rallying from multiple deficits throughout to capture the championship on Tuesday in Selma.
San Benito, which defeated Santa Maria 4-0 for the title and is now a perfect 7-0 in the All-Star season, plays its first game in the Pacific Southwest Regional tournament in Ukiah on Aug. 4.
“It was amazing, it really was,” San Benito manager Don Spriggs said. “We wanted to bring a state championship back to Hollister just like the 14 year olds did, and I’m blown away with how well these guys have played. They continue to amaze.”
Diego Fisher, who tossed six shutout innings in the title game—he allowed just four hits, didn’t walk a batter while throwing only 63 pitches–was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, and Davonte Butler, Tyler Grimes and Baxter Black made the all-tournament team.
San Benito scored a run in the first inning before padding its lead with a three-run fourth, capped by an RBI groundout from Josh Harris, whose single in the first gave the team a 1-0 lead.
San Benito opened the state tournament with a 6-3 win over tournament host Selma before knocking off Hanford 7-5 and Santa Maria 4-3 in eight innings to reach the final round. In each game, San Benito came from behind to post a victory.
None was more nail-biting than the winner’s bracket semifinal victory over Santa Maria. San Benito trailed 3-2 and was down to its final three outs when Butler’s RBI double made it 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning.
In the decisive eighth, Grimes hit a leadoff single and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt from Dalton Neece. Grimes reached third on Louis Huntley’s groundout and scored moments later when the Santa Maria first baseman booted a groundball off the bat of Fisher.
A.J. Borges recorded the win, pitching seven innings and throwing 24 first-pitch strikes.
“These kids were remarkable,” Spriggs said. “The character of this team is phenomenal. I’ve never seen a group of youngsters focus better and react so well under tough conditions the way this team has.”
In the team’s opening-round win over Selma, San Benito trailed 3-0 before erupting for a six-run fifth, capped by Black’s grand slam. Butler earned the win, tossing five innings with nine strikeouts.
In San Benito’s next contest, it trailed Hanford 5-1 before scoring three runs in the fifth inning and three more in the sixth. Fisher, who recorded the win with five solid innings of work, also led the offense along with Black, as both players had two hits and an RBI.
“It’s been a crazy ride,” Spriggs said. “Hopefully we can continue this into regionals. I don’t know what it is about this team, but they almost have to be out of it to be in it. The unbelievable thing is we’ve got four other quality arms that haven’t thrown a pitch yet. The pitching has been phenomenal.”
Nowhere was that more apparent than in the district tournament, when San Benito’s pitching corps allowed just three runs in four games in leading the team to the championship.
Butler, Borges and Fisher all had standout performances, with Fisher tossing a one-hitter in the winner’s bracket semifinal.
“We were darn near error free,” Spriggs said. “I think we made one error in the entire tournament.”
San Benito’s All-Star team was formed in mid-June, but it didn’t start district tournament play until July 10. That meant the team practiced for a month before seeing live competition.
“The kids were getting a bit antsy,” Spriggs said. “They really wanted to get going and play someone else besides themselves. I knew they were really good, but you just don’t know how good until they face other competition. They’ve met every challenge that’s come their way.”
Even more impressive, the squad played its best when it was behind and consistently produced key hits in the later innings, displaying a maturity belying their age.
In two tournaments, San Benito has played the minimum number of games possible, meaning its deep pitching corps will be plenty rested for the regionals.
The 2014 San Benito Babe Ruth 15-and-under roster: Manager—Don Spriggs. Coaches—Shawn Penzo and Chris Neece. Players– AJ Borges; Davonte Butler, Josh Harris, Baxter Black, Dyllan Greig; Tyler Grimes, Dalton Neece, Frank Chavez; Louis Huntley; Diego Fisher, Dom Hernandez, Bobby Gonzales.