With Tuesday’s softball showdown between North Salinas and host
Hollister High threatened with suspension because of darkness, the
Balers caught one final break to end it.
With Tuesday’s softball showdown between North Salinas and host Hollister High threatened with suspension because of darkness, the Balers caught one final break to end it.
Megan Smith tagged up from third base and scored on Kim Dabo’s 11th-inning fly ball after the Vikings’ catcher couldn’t handle the two-hop throw from center field to home.
Dabo’s sacrifice fly gave Hollister a 2-1 victory over North Salinas, ranked No. 1 in the Central Coast Section and No. 8 in the state.
“This was up there with the biggest wins I’ve ever had,” said Baler coach Scott Smith. “I had asked the umpire before the top of the 11th how long we were going to go and he said that this was it. This sets the tone for us early in the season and gives the kids confidence.”
Beating the Vikings (10-2, 1-1 Tri-County Athletic League) should give the first-place Balers (9-2, 2-0) oodles of confidence. However, they don’t have much time to gloat with a good Gilroy (4-3, 1-0) visiting Balerland today at 3:45 p.m. in another vital T-CAL contest.
Smith estimated Tuesday’s crowd at about 200, some of whom in the later innings were players from the junior varsity game, in which Hollister defeated North Salinas 4-3.
Smith, knowing his Balers were facing the legendary Monica Abbott, had the benefit of a left-handed pitching machine that throws riseballs – in other words, an Abbott copycat.
“I cranked it up to about 75 mph,” said Smith. “The girls were complaining why I turned it up so high, but then after the game, they were thanking me.”
Jenny Maheu, who has hit Abbott well in the past, singled for the Balers in the bottom of the first. However, Maheu misinterpeted a sign from Smith and was thrown out attempting to steal second.
“I had coached about six of their players so I decided to change the signs,” Smith said. “I was giving the bunt sign.”
Nashia Alvarez singled after Maheu was thrown out, but that was all the threat the Balers could mount. Abbott and Baler starter Dani Hernandez settled down for a nice duel, which lasted until the top of the sixth.
Jennifer Patterson singled for North Salinas and was sacrificed to second. The Balers then walked Ashley Pemberton intentionally, which brought up Abbott, who singled off Hernandez to score Patterson and give the Vikings a 1-0 lead.
The Balers responded in the bottom of the sixth. Designated hitter Johni Kiesewetter ripped a double down the left field line. Maheu followed by beating out a bunt down the first base line as Kiesewetter took third, then scored as the throw to first to get Maheu kicked towards second base.
It was a big day for Kiesewetter, who was 2-for-4 and hit the ball hard each time off Abbott, a USA Junior Olympic pitcher.
“I saw coach Smith waving me in so I went home,” Kiesewetter said. “Practicing off that pitching machine really helped. It was great to be able to hit off a USA pitcher.”
The Vikings nearly scored in the top of the 11th, but Baler reliever Alyssa Baker covered a suicide squeeze on an 0-2 pitch and threw out Ashley Pemberton at the plate.
“Alyssa made a great play,” Smith said.
With Megan Smith at second to start the bottom of the 11th in accordance with international tiebreaker rules, Kiesewetter dropped down a bunt single down the first base line. Maheu was then walked intentionally, which brought up Dabo, who had already helped the Balers defensively at shortstop.
“Kim had eight chances and made the plays flawlessly,” Scott Smith said. “And Jenny made some strong plays at second base.”
Baker (4-1), who started the seventh in relief of Hernandez, was the winning pitcher. The Balers out-hit the Vikings 7-6.
Hollister is at North Salinas April 15 and hosts the Vikings again May 8.
