In a game similar to the one played Saturday in Salinas, Gilroy
High baseball scored early before finding the team’s bats had been
stolen later in the game.
In a game similar to the one played Saturday in Salinas, Gilroy High baseball scored early before finding the team’s bats had been stolen later in the game.
Not literally, of course.
The Mustangs were once again vandalized by their own inconsistencies as they couldn’t string together anything offensively for the second consecutive game against the Palma Chieftains.
Gilroy lost 7-1 Tuesday after dropping the first game of the back-to-back series with the Chieftains 3-1. A five-run third inning and a two-run seventh was all Palma needed to overcome a Kevin Grove single that scored Roberto Celestino in the first.
Jarrel Morris got the win for Palma, which improved to 14-5 overall, 8-2 in the Tri-County Athletic League.
Grove, making his first start since recovering from a shoulder injury, took the loss after 2 1/3 innings of work on the mound.
“Obviously, having him come back (from injury), he didn’t have his best stuff,” Gilroy coach Clint Wheeler said. “We’re asking a lot of him, but he’s bouncing back.”
Gilroy’s team as a whole is in a similar situation. Having lost seven straight, the Mustangs have been cold at the plate while allowing just one or two poor innings on defense to dictate the outcome of games.
Still, Wheeler thinks his team is close to getting over the hump.
“I tell you what, we played well early,” he said. “If we get our confidence back we’ll be all right.”
The Mustangs (7-12, 5-3) will need to believe in themselves as they start a two-game series with rival San Benito (14-4, 7-0) Thursday in Gilroy. Another loss in league would make it almost impossible for the Mustangs to win the TCAL.
“We’re going to come back to work tomorrow (in practice), get better and come out ready to go,” Wheeler said.
First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
