Gilroy was on its way to an easy Tri-County Athletic League win
Wednesday before the Mustangs unraveled in the sixth inning.
Gilroy was on its way to an easy Tri-County Athletic League win Wednesday before the Mustangs unraveled in the sixth inning.
But Gilroy was able to right things in the nick of time as it posted its biggest road victory of the season, 10-8 over Palma.
The Mustangs (19-10, 7-2) led 8-2 in the sixth inning when they committed four errors, allowing the Chieftains (15-11, 6-3) to score five runs. Michael Stevens and Tyler Osborne had RBI singles in the seventh as Gilroy cooled off Palma, which hadn’t lost a league game since dropping a wild 12-11 decision March 16 to the Mustangs.
“Other than the sixth, we played good defense,” GHS coach Clint Wheeler said. “Our guys were ready to play. You could sense that. We played some of the most passionate baseball we’ve played all year long. It was nice to see.”
Jamie Vega staked Palma to a 2-0 lead in the first with a two-run homer. Matt Hemeon’s home run in the second gave Gilroy its first run, and the TCAL co-leaders scored another in the fourth to tie the game.
Kevin Grove came up with the big hit of the game with a two-run triple in the fifth. Grove scored on an overthrow to make it 5-2. Three more runs in the top of the sixth gave the Mustangs an 8-2 lead.
Jacob Dexter went the distance, allowing four earned runs and 11 hits, to gain the win. Chad Caraccioli had three of the Chieftain’s hits.
“It was a huge win against a hot team in a tough place to get a win,” Wheeler said. “It showed a lot of character. It was a good job for us. I was really proud of our guys.”
Stevens had two hits and three RBIs, and Hemeon and Grove also collected two hits apiece.
Gilroy, which has won 12 of its last 14, is tied for first in the TCAL with Salinas.
“This was a confidence booster,” Wheeler said. “If we don’t have momentum now, we’ll never have it. ”
The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Mustangs, who host San Benito at 4pm Tuesday in another crucial TCAL tilt. Dexter will again pitch for Gilroy.
Gilroy 010 133 2 – 10 11 4
Palma 200 005 1 – 8 11 2
Morris, Huston (6) and Jackson. Dexter and Fortino. L-Morris. HR-GIL, Hemeon; PAL, Vega.
