Gilroy
– In the Hollywood version of baseball, home run hitters always
wind up with the prettiest girl.
But Gilroy baseball coach Clint Wheeler wants to make it clear
to his charges that when they swing for the fences, he’s going to
be playing a real-life homewrecker.
Gilroy – In the Hollywood version of baseball, home run hitters always wind up with the prettiest girl.
But Gilroy baseball coach Clint Wheeler wants to make it clear to his charges that when they swing for the fences, he’s going to be playing a real-life homewrecker.
The Mustangs made nine of their 21 outs by way of the fly ball in Wednesday’s 7-5 loss to San Mateo, and Wheeler isn’t happy.
“Around here, we preach hitting line drives,” he said. “The team we played today was very bad, but our approach at the plate really hurt us. We played well against Valley Christian in our scrimmage because we hit line drives.”
With very little solid contact by Mustang hitters, Wheeler made no bones about what he would do if things didn’t shape up.
“I’m going to play guys that do what I ask and guys that don’t are going to sit, regardless of who you are,” the coach said.
Righthander Armando Franco started for Gilroy. Battling a cold and control problems, the senior went three innings, giving up three runs after walking three Bearcats and plunking three more.
First baseman Peter Mickartz belted a two-run homer in the first, scoring shortstop Drew Andersen, to get the Gilroy offense started. With two outs, the Mustangs strung together three singles, the last by rightfielder Joe Cano to knock in third baseman Marc Gonzalez.
San Mateo answered back with two runs in their half of the inning, then another in the third and four more in the decisive fourth inning.
Gilroy picked up a run in its half of the fourth when Jared Gamm grounded out to score Marty Sustaita. Gamm scored the Mustangs’ final run in the seventh when he stole third and raced home on a throwing error by San Mateo catcher Matt Davidson.
Wheeler said Gilroy’s hitting would have to pick it up this weekend.
“We play Saturday against a tough team, Saint Ignatius, he said. “We have to change our whole approach against a tough team if we want to win.”
