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SPORTS
> SAN BENITO HIGH
'Balers run the table, seeking No. 1 seed in CCS
Hollister
Since falling to Palma some three weeks ago, the San Benito Haybalers have run the table and won their last five games, and are suddenly eyeing the top seed in next week's Central Coast Section Baseball Playoffs.
Thursday's shortened 10-0 win over visiting Everett Alvarez put an exclamation point not only on the team's recent stretch but the squad's strong week as well. San Benito clinched the Tri-County Athletic League outright Tuesday with a 9-6 victory against host Gilroy.
"Even though we clinched it on Tuesday, we wanted the No. 1 seed," manager Michael Luna said.
With a record of 19-3 in their last 22 games - the CCS only records a team's final 22 contests towards seeding - San Benito appears to be the front-runner for the top spot in the section.
Although San Benito will be battling Valley Christian, Serra and Wilcox for the No. 1 position, Luna expects a home playoff game on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
The CCS seeding meeting is on Saturday and the team will know officially just where exactly they stand following that meeting.
With a pair of wins this week against Gilroy and Alvarez, though, San Benito officially stands atop the TCAL for the third year in a row.
Thursday's win against the visiting Eagles supplied the 'Balers with a 17-1 league record, and their ninth shutout this season.
Zach Canez pitched a two-hitter over five innings of work and struck out four to keep Alvarez off the board.
Dane Lamanna and Kyle Zozaya supplied solo homers to lead off the second and third innings, respectively, while San Benito tacked on another run in the third on a sac fly from Trevor Fabing that scored Ronnie Fhurong.
Fhurong had a pair of RBIs in the game, including a single in the fourth that plated Brian Haggett. Fabing followed with another sac fly that scored Zozaya, while Greg Huth's single knocked in Fhurong.
In the fifth, Haggett's RBI single made it 8-0. San Benito eventually loaded the bases, and after a Ramiro Chapa walk scored Haggett, Darin Gillies was hit by a pitch to end the game.
Senior Nathan Hopkins was out with an illness for the team's final home game of the regular season, so Luna instead started his other eight seniors. "That's the last chance they're gonna get to play together as one unit," he said.
After Tuesday's win iced the TCAL for San Benito, Luna said the victory helped his club (24-5 overall) 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.
Said Luna, "We got to the (CCS) finals last year and that was the goal this year, to play in the final game."
Note:
The first 100 fans to Wednesday's CCS playoff game will receive a free T-shirt, while prizes will be given away during the entire game. First pitch is at 4 p.m.
Free Lance Sports Staff
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