Rams softball team points to signs of improvement despite
suffering 17-0 loss
By Scott Campbell, Staff Writer
Gilroy – As the losses have piled up in a frustrating season for the Gavilan softball program, the Rams have remained focused on finding positives. Yesterday was no different.
Despite suffering a 17-0 loss to mighty West Valley College, California’s top-ranked junior college team, Gavilan (0-14) was optimistic enough to look for improvements beyond the final score.
And one of those was to hold the Vikings scoreless in at least one inning. Check.
Already leading the freshmen-laden Rams 11-0, West Valley (28-2) put together a two-out rally to load the bases in the fourth. But Gavilan starting pitcher Cortney Almaguer gave her team a needed boost with by striking out Narissa Marichalar to get the Rams out of the inning unscathed.
“That’s a huge thing against West Valley,” said Almaguer. “That’s huge.”
“[The scoreless inning] was one of our goals today … and we actually accomplished that,” said Gavilan head coach Nikki Dequin-Thompson, who detailed a few of the Rams’ other objectives. “Try to stay in the game even when you’re getting rolled over; our focus and our intensity … those are the little things you have to focus on.”
After losing its first 13 games while fielding a roster consisting only of freshmen, Gavilan knew that its first win of the season would be tough to secure against West Valley. Sure enough, the Vikings struck for an early advantage and never let up.
Almaguer walked Liz Perez and allowed a single to Alicia Jones to open the game, and then fell victim to two outfield errors as West Valley took a quick 4-0 lead.
The Vikings sent 11 batters to the plate in the third, scoring six more runs with a passed ball, a wild pitch and three more errors by the Rams aiding the visitors’ cause.
In its nine Coast South Conference losses, Gavilan has yet to avoid the ‘mercy’ rule.
West Valley head coach Les Hearn believes that Dequin-Thompson’s leadership will pay dividends in the near future for the Gavilan program.
“She’s an outstanding coach. She’s working hard,” said Hearn. “There are some good players around here. She’s going to make local kids stay home.”
Dequin-Thompson emphasized that her first year at the helm has to be considered a rebuilding campaign.
“We’re setting the foundation here,” said the Rams coach. “We’re doing a good job with that, but we’ve just got to start putting the pieces together on the playing field.
“With us this year, I’m not focused on win / loss. It’s more playing well; playing good softball. [But] winning is always in the back of your mind.”
