Gilroy
– After suffering an 8-6, extra-inning loss to Archbishop Mitty
in the first round of the Central Coast Section playoffs last
season, one would think Gilroy would be a little apprehensive about
a rematch with the Monarchs in this year’s playoff opener.
Gilroy – After suffering an 8-6, extra-inning loss to Archbishop Mitty in the first round of the Central Coast Section playoffs last season, one would think Gilroy would be a little apprehensive about a rematch with the Monarchs in this year’s playoff opener.
That’s not the case.
“When (the players) heard we had (Mitty) they were fired up,” Mustangs coach Clint Wheeler said. “If you’re going to win a title, you’re going to have to go through the West Catholic (Athletic) League anyway.”
In last year’s game, Gilroy (22-11) rallied from deficits four different times – getting game-tying home runs from Kevin Grove twice – but eventually fell in 10 innings.
That effort has the Mustangs motivated for a reversal of fortune.
“I think we’re in a pretty good mindset,” Wheeler said. “Last year, we probably should’ve beat them but we made couple of mistakes. The guys are pretty confident.”
After putting a check mark on the team’s initial goal – it’s first league championship since 1991 – Wheeler said the team is taking a business-as-usual approach to prepare for the postseason.
“Nothing’s changed at practice,” Wheeler said. “We’ve been working all year to this – win a league championship first then hopefully a CCS title.”
After sharing the Tri-County Athletic League title with San Benito, Gilroy lost the tiebreaker for determining the league’s top seed due to the Haybalers having more CCS power points. San Benito finished with 62 points, the Mustangs had 59.5. As a result, Gilroy had to be seeded below the third-seeded ‘Balers and earned the fifth spot.
Mitty (19-13) was originally slotted as the 11th seed, but that would’ve had them face WCAL opponent Bellarmine in the first round, so they were dropped to No. 12 and Menlo-Atherton was moved to No. 11.
While facing a team such as Mitty, who won the CCS title two years ago, may not be an ideal first-round matchup, Wheeler likes his teams chances, especially at home where the team is 13-0.
“Our field is definitely very comfortable for us,” Wheeler said. “Our guys love to play there. That’s definitely a big plus in our favor.”
Conversely, Mitty enters the contest with a 4-9 road record, but much of that can be skewed by the Monarchs tough league schedule which includes the Nos. 1, 2, 6 and 9 seeds in the Division I bracket in Valley Christian, Serra, Bellarmine and St. Francis.
“They’re going to be solid,” Wheeler said of Mitty. “We’re going to have to bring our ‘A’ game for sure.”
