Paige Miguel tossed a perfect game, Marissa Adame and Samantha Puentes each added four hits apiece, and the San Benito Lady Balers picked up a pair of matching 10-0 wins against Live Oak and Piedmont Hills to open the Annie Lynch Memorial Circle of Champions tournament at the Salinas Sports Complex on Saturday.
The Lady Balers (3-0) now advance from pool play to the championship bracket, where they will square off against Leigh on Saturday in the tournament semifinals. Monterey and Presentation will meet up for a chance to advance to the championship round as well.
San Benito made quick work of both Live Oak and Piedmont Hills on Saturday, each game ending as a result of the 10-run mercy rule.
The Lady Balers' opener against Live Oak saw both Adame and Puentes connect for two hits apiece, with Adame adding three RBI and Puentes pocketing two stolen bases.
Atop the hill, Danielle Acosta allowed two hits and struck out four before the game was called in the fifth inning.
Later in the day, San Benito finished off Piedmont Hills in four innings behind Miguel's perfect game.
The San Benito junior saw the minimum 12 batters in the 10-0 victory, but struck out eight, nevertheless.
"That was pretty impressive," San Benito manager Scott Smith said. "She was just dominant."
Perhaps more impressive was the perfect game came against Piedmont Hills, which defeated Carlmont 2-1 earlier in the day. It was also the first time San Benito played Piedmont Hills since it defeated the San Jose school by a 4-1 margin in the Central Coast Section Division I quarterfinals last season.
Miguel received more than enough run support as well. Brittany Hoff had two hits, including a triple; Puentes had two hits, including an inside-the-park three-run homer; while Adame, Jessica Steigelman and Jessica Vest all had two hits apiece.
The Lady Balers will now see Leigh in the semifinals on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.
A win would place San Benito in the championship at 1 p.m., while a loss would move the Lady Balers into the consolation round at 3 p.m.
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