GHS softball goes to Hawes Park for Saturday’s CCS second-round
game
GILROY – Following Wednesday’s 2-0 upset win over No. 8 Oak Grove in the opening round of the CCS Division I Playoffs, the Lady Mustang softball team returned home for Thursday’s practice – not reliving the past, but rather focusing on the future.
“I think it was just another practice today. I think the girls are focused on what’s coming next. They know they can’t dwell on the win for too long,” second-year skipper Julie Berggren said. “They know they have another tough assignment ahead. Tomorrow’s practice (on Friday) we’ll step it up, knowing we have a game the next day.”
The No. 9 Lady Mustangs (15-14 overall) will take on top seed Carlmont (28-5) in Saturday’s second round at Hawes Park with a start time of 2:30 p.m and they know all about their opponents, losing to them twice this season.
“They’re a good team. They have one girl who can really hit the ball. She played shortstop one game and centerfield the other game,” Berggren said. “I think maybe because we haven’t scored against them (that they could underestimate us.)”
Gilroy faced Carlmont’s No. 2 pitcher in its two losses – but this time they will have to deal with another team’s ace hurler, according to Berggren.
“We’ve never seen her pitch before,” Berggren said. “I think it’s good for the girls (knowing we lost to them twice). It gives them an extra bit of focus. They know we faced this team before and we didn’t win. We need to win this time.”
Senior ace Jennifer Olvera was nearly unhittable against Oak Grove – allowing only one hit and pitching her way out of trouble, along with an assist from senior centerfielder Laura Hennessee, in the only threatening frame. Olvera will have to be at the top of her game once again against a Carlmont squad that poured in 11 runs in the teams’ first clash.
“We need that from her. We need her to pop the ball on Saturday. She has to throw with the intensity she threw with on Wednesday,” said Berggren of Olvera. “It was just error after error in the first game. The second game we had two, three triples and hit the ball really hard. We just didn’t score.”
When it counted on Wednesday, the Lady Mustangs received big knocks via senior Jenna Daugherty and freshman Kristen Campos as well as Olvera’s clutch RBI single that broke the scoreless tie.
“If we hit like we did yesterday, we should be fine. I know we can win,” Berggren said. “I have complete confidence that the girls will show up and play their best.”
The first two meeting between Gilroy and Carlmont also came during tournaments – where the Lady Mustangs played more than one game in a day.
“This is one game in one day,” Berggren said. “We have to bring our ‘A’ game.”
