Live Oak picked up a couple of important wins and is closing in on a CCS playoff berth. | Megan Medland/Prep2Prep |
The Live Oak baseball team defeated Evergreen Valley 13-0 Tuesday and dominated visiting Oak Grove 13-4 Thursday.
Live Oak is in second place along with Silver Creek in the Blossom Valley Athletic League Santa Teresa Division and is in a good position to nail down a playoff spot. The top two teams receive automatic bids to the Central Coast Section playoffs. The third-place team would have a strong chance to receive one of the eight at-large bids.
Live Oak (11-11, 6-4) visits Silver Creek on Thursday to settle the tie. Back in March, Live Oak hosted Silver Creek and prevailed 3-0 against the Raiders.
Said senior and four-year varsity player Adrian Garcia: “We’re all going to go into the next game against Silver Creek with the mentality that we need to win this game. We’re not going to be thinking of playoffs that game; we’re going to be thinking about bringing home the win. We have to win each game one by one. It’s like that saying ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’. Keep playing the way we are and focus.”
Live Oak hasn't made the playoffs in two years. So what's different this year?
“We all just pick each other up. We’re a team and that’s how we got to win games by playing together,” said Garcia. “I feel more connected with the team this year, probably because it’s all the seniors together and we’re always hanging out. It’s just that brotherhood we have.”
Added coach C.J. Goularte: “What’s the most important is that they get a chance to compete in the playoffs. It has nothing to do with what I want. If that means we win out and we’re there, I’m going to be happy for them.”
If Live Oak continues its current outstanding play, the playoffs seem likely. In Thursday’s game against Oak Grove, the Acorns scored in every inning and only allowed four runs in two innings. Although they were tied 3-3 in the top of the third, the Acorns quickly responded.
Three runs came in for Live Oak in the third when Ben Nuno hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and two additional runs scored on Eagle errors on the same play.
The Acorns added two runs on Michael Porras' two-run double in the fourth and two more runs in the sixth on John Forestieri’s triple.
“We approach every game preparing to win. You set your pitching up a certain way,” said Goularte, explaining the team's approach. “Whether we’re playing the first game of the year or we’re playing to get into the playoffs, we’re trying to win. They (the boys) understand what’s on the line and that they need to continue to work hard and play as a team. Fight every inning, fight every pitch and find a way to win ballgames.”
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