Gilroy snubbed by North Salinas, 1-0.
GILROY – Like Arizona Diamondback star pitchers Randy Johnson and Curt Shilling, senior aces Jennifer Olvera and Monica Abbott are the best of teammates during the days of summer on the Salinas Storm. But when high school is in session, Olvera backs Gilroy High and Abbott anchors North Salinas.
So Monday’s rain make-up game – the first of two regular-season matchups – was everything a pitcher’s duel can be as Olvera (season-high 15 Ks) and Abbott (16 Ks) combined for 31 strikeouts out of 42 total outs in a seven-inning thriller on the Gilroy High diamond.
“I really wanted to win this game. We’re friends. We play on the same team,” said Olvera of Abbott. “I knew what she had. They knew what I had. That’s why I had to mix it up a little bit.”
This time, it was Abbott, who is headed to Tennessee on scholarship next year, and the Lady Vikings handing Olvera, who is off to Vanguard University to play, and the Lady Mustangs a 1-0 defeat. But not without some added drama to fuel the fire even more for the April 24 rematch in North Salinas.
“I cannot wait to face them again,” said second-year skipper Julie Berggren, following Monday’s showdown in the sunshine.
The only run off Olvera came on a disputed play at home plate. With runners perched on second and third after a double steal, North Salinas laid down a suicide squeeze – as the runner bolted toward home on the moment of contact. Olvera quickly field the bunt and short-armed the ball to junior catcher Brian DeLorenzo – who reached back to put a tag on as the runner flew around wide at the plate.
“We got screwed,” said Olvera, still accepting the outcome. “I let go of the ball and she was almost sliding. The tag was totally there. We would have been playing right now.”
The way these two titans were slinging we might still be there.
“I think its fuel for the next game,” said senior second baseman Dallas Hernandez, who smoked a single to leftfield for Gilroy’s first of two hits. “We have some younger girls who were a little intimidated (but) without the bad call, we’d still be playing.”
The split-second play at the plate meant everything.
“I think our team went down a little bit after the call, but they came back up,” Berggren said. “We hit her. That’s a feat in itself. We wanted to make sure she didn’t throw a no-hitter. We started not confident – but, by the end of the game, we had tons of confidence that we could hit her.”
Senior third baseman Cherise Martinez – the only Lady Mustang not to strike out at least once – finally got hold of an Abbott heater and sent it deep into centerfield for a stand-up double. But with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, the powerful Abbott sat down her final batter.
“She’s pretty tough, but I’ve faced her for four years. I know what she’s all about. I’ve had plenty of at-bats against her. I’m not scared,” said Martinez, also showing her respects to Abbott. “Of course, we’re all intimidated by her. She’s so good… We’re just going to build up from this.”
Hernandez’s single in the fourth frame showed the Gilroy sticks that the intimidating hurler was not invincible and several other gritty at-bats gave the Lady Mustangs some confidence.
“I’ve played in tournaments with her, but this was the first time I hit against her. All week I was preparing to hit off her,” Hernandez said. “I just know to stay off her trash and wait until she puts one over the plate.”
Olvera and Abbott both went the distance in two masterful outings. Olvera allowed five hits and walked four, while Abbott gave up just the two hits and a hit one batter.
“We can’t ask for more out of Jenn,” said Berggren, whose squad has two more straight home games against Salinas on Wednesday and Friday against Hollister.
