Rushing up to a rain-soaked field in Saratoga on Tuesday to play
a game ahead of schedule, with the hope being to beat the elements
before they got worse, Gilroy baseball overcame several obstacles
to win 6-5 and advance to the semifinals of the Lions Easter
Tournament.
SARATOGA – Rushing up to a rain-soaked field in Saratoga on Tuesday to play a game ahead of schedule, with the hope being to beat the elements before they got worse, Gilroy baseball overcame several obstacles to win 6-5 and advance to the semifinals of the Lions Easter Tournament.
The Mustangs will be playing at Archbishop Mitty at 3:30 p.m. today with the final or third-place game both scheduled for Friday. Location will be dictated by the outcome of today’s game.
Scoring two runs in the top of the first inning against Saratoga, Gilroy tried to sit on a 2-1 lead going into the fifth. But falling behind 5-3 by the time the sixth inning rolled around, the Mustangs were almost left without a chance to mount a comeback.
“The worst thing was the weather; rain looked imminent,” Gilroy coach Clint Wheeler said. “It was a pretty soggy day, a wet track.
“We were pretty fortunate there that we were able to keep playing.”
Jordan Holler roped a two-run double in the top of the sixth before being plated on a hit by Taylor Chris. The comeback stood up as Rafael Garcia recorded the save in two innings of work, getting each of the three batters he faced in the bottom of the seventh to hit pop-flys.
Junior varsity pull-ups were instrumental in giving Gilroy a chance to win. Thomas Harrington went 4.1 innings as the GHS starting pitcher, and reliever Corey Snyder came in to get the Mustangs out of a jam in .2 innings of work.
Roberto Celestino had two hits for Gilroy, but, overall, few bats were at full strength due to the weather.
After hitting a rough patch in Tri-County Athletic League play last week, getting out of the TCAL and gaining some victories has helped restore some confidence for the Mustangs (10-7). A win today would place Gilroy in the Easter Tournament championship for the first time since 2006, the only time the Mustangs have won the event which started in 1959, Wheeler said.
“I think it is a great thing – taking a break,” Wheeler said. “We’re seeing some new blood out there. We’re playing some good teams right now and were playing pretty well.
“Any time you can come out on top of a prestigious tournament likes this it’s a big thing.”
