Salinas scores two runs in fifth before rain ends game at Gilroy
High
Gilroy – In an attempt to beat out the rain, the Gilroy High baseball team tried to start its game with Salinas Friday an hour and a half early.
But the Mustangs didn’t beat the rain. And they didn’t escape a loss on their home field.
Despite making a comeback and tying the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth as rain began to fall steadily, Gilroy allowed two Salinas runs in the top of the fifth inning. The Mustangs weren’t able to produce any runs in the bottom of the fifth before the game was called with Salinas ahead 5-3.
Gilroy dropped to 6-7 overall and 4-4 in the Tri-County Athletic League. Salinas (8-4-1) moved ahead of the Mustangs in the TCAL standings to a 4-3-1 mark.
“We knew (the rain) was coming,” said Gilroy head coach Clint Wheeler. “I think we should have been more mentally prepared to hit. It was too little, too late.”
Junior third baseman Ryan Evanger led the Mustangs with two hits. Jacob Dexter (RBI), Michael Stevens and Tyler Osborne each had one hit apiece.
Senior Jeremy Teschera took the loss for the Mustangs.
Salinas held a 3-0 lead as Gilroy went to bat in the bottom of the fourth. The rain that had begun to fall didn’t appear to hinder the Gilroy offense, with the Mustangs scoring all three of their runs in that inning. Osborne scored from third on a wild pitch from Cowboys’ pitcher Skyler Crawford for the tying run.
In the top of the fifth, the rain tapered off a bit in time for the Cowboys’ turn at the plate. Two of the first three Salinas batters belted singles off Teschera. That prompted Wheeler to go to closer Drew Andersen.
But the Cowboys were undeterred by the pitching change. Philip Incaviglia (single) and James Coon (reach on error) put the winning runs across in Salinas’ next two at-bats.
Gilroy got out of the inning without further damage done, but couldn’t produce in the bottom of the fifth before the game was called.
Dexter said the steady downpour, which prevented the last two innings from being played, did affect the game.
“It was definitely a factor. Then again, we both had to deal with it,” said Dexter, whose high pop-up single that fell in behind the pitcher’s mound brought home Evanger for Gilroy’s second run.. “I think we just have to come out more ready to play or we’re going to keep losing like we have been.”
Gilroy will have a one-week break from TCAL play as the Mustangs begin the Lions Easter Tourney this week. Gilroy leads off the tournament against Pacifica’s Terra Nova Saturday at 1pm.
Even though they don’t factor in to the race for TCAL, Wheeler said the tourney games still matter.
“Along with a league championship, we’re always talking about CCS,” he said. “The last 22 games count.”
Around the TCAL: San Benito exploded for 11 runs in the top of the seventh inning to beat Palma 15-5 Friday in Salinas. The ‘Balers, who face Salinas today, took sole possession of first-place in TCAL with the win.
