There was no looking ahead or looking behind Thursday for
Gilroy. Coming off a big win over San Benito and with Salinas
looming on Tuesday, it might have been easy to look past North
Salinas.
There was no looking ahead or looking behind Thursday for Gilroy.
Coming off a big win over San Benito and with Salinas looming on Tuesday, it might have been easy to look past North Salinas.
That wasn’t the case Thursday. The Mustangs scored four first-inning runs and pounded 16 hits to beat the host Vikings 7-1 and remain in first place in the Tri-County Athletic League.
Roberto Celestino led the way, going 4 for 4. Kevin Grove and Michael Stevens combined on a five-hitter with seven strikeouts.
“I was seeing the ball well,” Celestino said of his season-best hitting day. “Everything’s going well for the team right now. The pitching is good, the defense is good and the hitting is good.”
Gilroy (21-10 overall, 8-2 TCAL) came out with bats blazing. Stevens and Matt Hemeon singled. Grove doubled in the first run, Jacob Dexter doubled in two more, and Celestino’s base hit capped the rally.
“That definitely set the tone for the day,” GHS coach Clint Wheeler said. “When you score that many in the first inning it definitely makes things more relaxing for the pitchers.”
Grove was able to pitch through a sore shoulder, throwing just 42 pitches in four innings.
“It feels pretty good,” the junior righthander said of his shoulder. “We talked during practice about how we had to focus on this game, to get this one first. Now we can think about Salinas.”
Stevens doubled in the fourth, moved to third on a fielder’s choice and scored on Grove’s sacrifice fly. The Mustangs added two in the sixth as Grove was hit by a pitch, Dexter walked and both scored on Lukas Fortino’s base hit.
Stevens, Hemeon and Dexter each collected two hits in the game.
“We did a good job on the hill and we played good defense,” Wheeler said. “The guys did what they had to do. Celestino has been working hard on his hand position. It’s good to see him swinging the bat well. All the guys are swinging the bat well.”
The Mustangs are at Salinas at 4pm Tuesday with Dexter getting the start. A win would clinch at least a share of the TCAL title for the Mustangs.
“If we keep swinging the bat well and play good defense we’ll be fine,” Grove said, “because we know we’ll get good pitching from Jacob.”
Gilroy 400 102 0 – 7 16 2
North Salinas 000 100 0 – 1 5 2
Grove, Stevens (5) and Fortino; Cluck, Lamb (7) and Papurello. W-Grove. L-Cluck. 2B-GIL, Grove, Dexter, Stevens; NS, Martin.
