Similar to the last meeting with North Salinas, it was only a
matter of time until the Gilroy Mustangs broke open the game.
Similar to the last meeting with North Salinas, it was only a matter of time until the Gilroy Mustangs broke open the game.
Tied 2-all in the bottom of the fifth inning, Brittany Balanesi connected with the first pitch she saw to clear the bases for a grand slam, helping to give the Mustangs a 6-2 victory Tuesday in Gilroy. Pitcher Melinda Ortiz finished off the Vikings in the final two frames through five strikeouts, earning the complete game victory.
The Mustangs defeated North Salinas 7-2 on April 3, scoring all of their runs in the last three innings.
“[Ortiz] did an awesome job,” Gilroy coach Catherine Hallada said. “She came out pitching hard and just shut them down. They couldn’t touch [the ball].”
Gilroy’s pitcher said she knew she had good stuff from the start. Using no pitch more effectively than the screwball, which curled just over the front outside corner of the plate when facing left-handed hitters, Ortiz admitted “some umpires don’t call that pitch (a strike).”
Tuesday’s umpire certainly did, as Ortiz recorded 11 strikeouts on the afternoon.
After giving up a run in both the second and third innings, Gilroy’s defense was perfect the rest of the way. On offense, the Mustangs took a while to get going but had no trouble catching fire once the match was lit.
“Once one of the girls starts hitting, they all hit,” Hallada said.
Gilroy’s first run came in the first inning after a Kylie Herrada single. Moving to second base on a throwing error, Herrada then got to third on a ground out by Lauryn Chris. Jasmine Perez got the RBI by hitting a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Herrada.
Balanesi was perfect at the plate, going 3-for-3 with the big home run and two singles, and Ortiz walked twice while also hitting a single for Gilroy. Chris and Alissa Castro also had singles.
North Salinas dropped to 7-12-1 with the loss, 3-6 in the Tri-County Athletic League.
The Mustangs (18-6, 6-3 TCAL) will now try to beat the team which has given them fits in the past – San Benito. Gilroy’s seniors have only beaten the Lady ‘Balers once in their varsity careers.
“I think it was two years ago and it felt good,” Hallada said. “They all remember how that felt.”
Unless Gilroy meets San Benito in the Central Coast Section playoffs, it will be the seniors’ final opportunity. First pitch will be Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in Hollister.
