Throw out the second inning and the Gilroy High baseball team would have been well within reach.
But three errors and six hits allowed in the top half of the frame put the Mustangs in an 8-0 hole that eventually held up for a 9-6 San Benito victory Tuesday afternoon in Gilroy. The win also served to lock up a third straight Tri-County Athletic League title for the visiting Haybalers.
The Mustangs' work in whittling the lead to three was admirable, but in the end the deficit proved to be too much to overcome.
"I knew after scoring those eight runs there is a tendency to relax," San Benito manager Michael Luna said. "I tried to tell the players to have a sense of urgency."
Gilroy's comeback was a mix of good fortune - San Benito committed four errors, all coming after the second inning - as well as the Mustangs making their own luck through timely hits and aggressive base running.
"This whole year things have come up, and I think [coming back] shows how much we've grown up (over the season)," Gilroy manager Clint Wheeler said.
San Benito freshman Darin Gillies got the win after wondering if he would even be the starter of the rivalry game that often divides two towns. Luna told Gillies and fellow pitcher Miles Sanchez he would make a decision Tuesday, but the first call the coach received that morning came from Gillies at 8 a.m.
"There's been a couple times this year I haven't known (I'm pitching) until game time," Gillies said. "I had to know to mentally prepare."
Luna was encouraged by the freshman's eagerness. "I decided to give him a chance (because) the main thing is, he wants the ball," he said.
The decision paid off as Gillies pitched four innings with one strikeout, allowing just two runs in the fourth on a double by Michael Hartman (2-for-4) that scored Jordan Holler (2-for-4, RBI) and Lukas Fortino (1-for-2). Jacob Eichhorn came on in relief for the 'Balers to start the fifth, but fell into trouble in the sixth after a few hits and two errors in the field pulled the Mustangs to within three runs.
Sanchez came in to get the save by pitching two scoreless innings.
Gilroy's Kevin Grove took the loss, lasting just 1 2/3 innings. After letting two runners on base to start the top of the second, an error by Hartman, who was playing first, followed by an error from Grove on an easy force-out play at home plate, led to a quick 4-0 lead for the 'Balers when Zach Canez (2-for-5) connected on a bases-clearing triple. Things got worse from there for Gilroy when Brian Haggett (2-for-5, HR) hit a double and Grove committed another error by overthrowing a ball to first. Steve Cabral then hit a single, scoring Ronnie Fhurong, before stealing second and coming home on a Spencer Brann double.
James Lafuente pitched in relief for the Mustangs to record the final out of the second inning, and ended up finishing the game. Lafuente's work on the mound the rest of the way - he only allowed one run on a Haggett home run - was pivotal in giving the Mustangs a chance to close the gap.
"We started to pick up momentum but fell short," Lafuente said. "It's just nice to see we didn't give up."
Luna said the victory helped his club (23-5 overall, 16-1 TCAL) achieve its top two priorities going into the season - a playoff berth and TCAL title. But now the focus will shift to winning a Central Coast Section title. Luna noted that the 'Balers have an excellent shot to be the favorites.
"We got to the (CCS) finals last year and that was the goal this year, to play in the final game," he said. "I believe if we win Thursday (against Alvarez) we'll be a number 1 seed."
A 'Balers victory is all but assured as Alvarez currently sits in last place in the TCAL.
Gilroy (11-17, 9-8) is considered a likely candidate to make the playoffs, according to coaches of both teams, but a win in Thursday's regular season finale at Alisal would give the Mustangs some comfort, as well as a bit of confidence heading into the postseason.
"I think anything can happen in the playoffs," Wheeler said. "I think teams are going to overlook us, which definitely makes us dangerous."
First pitch for both teams on Thursday will be at 4 p.m.
--
SB 0 8 0 0 1 0 0 - 9 10 4
GHS 0 0 0 2 1 3 0 - 6 9 5
Josh Koehn Josh Koehn is a sports writer for South Valley Newspapers. He can be reached at jkoehn@svnewspapers.com.
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Burned by the Queen
