‘Baler baseball clinches TCAL championship with Gilroy’s 7-6 win
over Palma
Hollister – Not bad for a day off. Receiving an assist from one of its biggest rivals, the San Benito baseball team secured sole possession of the Tri-County Athletic League title on Tuesday despite only breaking a sweat in practice.
Thanks to the Mustangs’ 7-6 defeat of second-place Palma in Gilroy, the ‘Balers garnered their first league championship since 2003.
“We were pretty stoked,” senior Breyon Canez said after learning as practice wrapped up that the Chieftains had lost.
Head coach Michael Luna was thrilled to win the title in just his second year at San Benito.
“I’m excited, more so for the players,” Luna said. “They deserve it.”
After clinching at least a share of the league title with their 9-1 victory over Salinas on Monday, the ‘Balers (22-4, 15-2 TCAL) had been looking forward to playing Palma (12-5 TCAL) today with an outright championship theirs should they have won. But thanks to the Chieftains’ loss at Gilroy, San Benito has already won the title – with little fanfare.
“It’s kind of anticlimactic,” Luna said. “I think our guys are going to be a little disappointed.”
“We can’t make a big old cheer now,” Canez added.
Nevertheless, the ‘Balers and their coach know that their accomplishment stands as quite an achievement.
“To be honest with you, I didn’t think we’d get there,” Luna said. “(But) I don’t know if it could’ve happened to a better group of guys. I don’t know if any team worked harder than us.”
In particular, the San Benito coach was proud that his team overcame the adversity of having so many games and practices interrupted by foul weather.
“We were able to get it done in the gym,” Luna continued. “It was tough to get a rhythm with the pitching and the hitting (but) the players were able to focus and concentrate.”
After seeing his team lose its only two TCAL games to the Mustangs, Canez found it ironic that Gilroy (10-6 TCAL) was the one to cement the ‘Balers’ title.
“They kind of killed us a little bit earlier on, and then they ended up helping us out at the end,” Canez said. “I think it’s pretty funny.”
Though the San Benito–Palma contest has been rendered meaningless for the ‘Balers in the league standings, the hosts will still take the field intent on the season sweep.
“We want to make a statement,” Luna said. “Just because we clinched it, we (still) want to make a statement.”
San Benito second baseman Karson Klauer said the TCAL championship was one of a number of goals the ‘Balers set for themselves.
“At the beginning of the year, you want to win league and make CCS, so we’re right there,” Klauer said. “We can make new goals as we go along.”
With a top-five seed in the upcoming Division I playoffs likely, San Benito enters this afternoon’s contest looking to post a feel-good win over Palma on Senior Day.
The San Benito–Palma contest starts at 4pm in Hollister.
