Hollister
– One bad inning was enough to spoil an otherwise well-played
baseball game. For Gilroy, a 10-run sixth inning wiped out a lead
and allowed host San Benito to gain a 13-4 Tri-County Athletic
League decision Thursday.
Hollister – One bad inning was enough to spoil an otherwise well-played baseball game.
For Gilroy, a 10-run sixth inning wiped out a lead and allowed host San Benito to gain a 13-4 Tri-County Athletic League decision Thursday.
“To battle all the way and then fall apart at the end is tough to swallow,” Gilroy coach Clint Wheeler said. “We’ve had a numbers of innings like (the sixth inning). That’s usually been make or break against good teams. We have to find a way to handle the pressure better.”
For the Mustangs (7-8 overall, 2-1 TCAL), it was another frustrating game in what has been an up-and-down season.
With Gilroy holding a 4-3 lead and ace left-hander Jacob Dexter pitching well, mistakes proved costly in the sixth to allow the Haybalers (13-3, 2-1 TCAL) to rally.
San Benito’s Kevin Medeiros was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Ronnie Fhurong followed by laying down a bunt, but the throw to first went into the foul territory in right field and Medeiros scored to tie it as Fhurong went to third.
Zach Canez was then hit by a pitch before Kyle Zozaya delivered the go-ahead RBI single. Kevin Burley followed with an infield single before Justin Andrade singled off the shortstop’s glove to drive in a run.
Brian Haggett eventually added an RBI walk, Bryan Scott had a bloop RBI single and when Medeiros was retired on a liner, the throw to double up the runner at second was wild. Fhurong added a two-run single, Canez an RBI double and Zozaya another RBI single before the Mustangs could get out of the inning.
“They get a dribbler there, a tweener there, but that’s baseball,” Wheeler said. “You keep battling like that, and (San Benito coach Michael Luna) teaches them well, and good things happen.”
After the ‘Balers scored three times in the second – on a Medeiros homer and a two-run single by Kolton Klauer – Gilroy took the lead with a four-run fourth.
Roberto Celestino delivered a one-double to put runners on second and third. Danny Contreras followed with a grounder to short, where San Benito attempted a throw home that was not in time.
Michael Stevens reached on a bloop single before Matt Hemeon hit a slow grounder to third. The throw to first was wild to allow two runners to score. Jacob Dexter added an RBI groundout to give Gilroy the lead.
Stevens and Charlie Duffy each finished with two hits for the Mustangs.
“This was a huge win for us,” said Luna, whose team dropped a 13-10 decision Wednesday to Salinas. “We had to win. With a 12-game league schedule, we can’t really afford to put up too many losses.”
Gilroy 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 – 4 6 4
San Benito 0 3 0 0 0 10 x – 13 10 2
Dexter, Stevens (6) and Fortino. Canez, Medeiros (5) and Zozaya. WP – Medeiros, LP – Dexter.
2B – Canez (SB), Contreras (G), Duffy (G).
HR – Medeiros.
