SAN BENITO, CA - Three early-season losses are well in the rear view mirror now for San Benito softball, which established further control of the MBL-Gabilan race on Monday with a 7-5 win over visiting Notre Dame-Salinas.
The Balers scored all seven runs in the first five innings, while junior pitcher Amanda Moisa kept the Spirits off the board until the top of the sixth.
The San Benito offense wasted no time getting started, as leadoff batter Brittnee Rossi took the third pitch she saw in the bottom of the first deep to right field for a solo home run. Junior Ayla Gabel added to the early lead with her one-out, RBI double.
The Balers (9-3, 6-0 Gabilan) struck again in the bottom of the second, this time for a three-run outburst, after Moisa retired Notre Dame in order during the top half of the inning. An error and a sacrifice bunt got Noel Chavarria to second base, where she scored on sophomore Alyssa Ito's single to center field. Ito was caught stealing third for the second out of the inning, but Rossi drew a walk to extend the inning, and scored on sophomore Dominique Monteon's two-out double to right field. Monteon then scored on Amber Rodriguez' single to center, for a 5-0 lead after two innings.
San Benito got its final insurance runs across the plate in the bottom of the fifth, when Rylee Roberson singled to score Chloe Cortez, and Makayla Johnson to score Roberson.
The Balers needed all those runs in the final two innings, as the Spirits (14-3, 3-3) got back in the game. Kaeli Bush opened the top of the sixth inning with a solo home run, part of a 4-for-4 game at the plate for Bush. With two outs, Julia Keaton further cut into the lead with her RBI double, scoring Logan Riggenbach.
Trailing by five runs entering the final frame, Notre Dame gave it a valiant effort. Bush doubled to score Aly Gomonet, who had singled with one out. After the second out of the inning, Riggenbach then drove in a pair with her double to left, but Moisa stranded her on second by striking out Alexia Torculas to end the game.
