Villar tosses shutout in 5-0 victory over Salinas
GILROY – The Lady Mustang softball team put on a defensive clinic in Thursday’s home league opener, resulting in a convincing 5-0 win over Salinas.
Early in the first inning, the Lady Mustangs were rattled by a few bobbled balls, but they held it together to keep the Cowboys off the base paths, as well as the scoreboard.
Following the first inning, the garlic diamond-girls held off even more threats made by rival Salinas – only allowing four other base runners in as many innings. Each time the Lady Cowboys posed a threat, the Lady Mustangs re-focused and ended every one before they turned into rallies.
“Whenever they make an error, they forget about it,” head coach Julie Berggren said. “They come together and play even better.”
Leading the charge for the Lady Mustang defense was sophomore hurler Sarah Villar, who pitched a near flawless game, taking a no-hitter into the fifth inning. Despite threatening for her second straight no-hit bid, Villar says she was more focused on the batter than another potential notch in her belt.
“I always focus on the next batter,” she said. “I just do what I need to do.”
Senior catcher Bria DeLorenzo said that the team always plays hard all the time and never lets a few mistakes take them out of any game.
“They don’t get shook up,” DeLorenzo said. “They have heart; they are a scrappy team. I have learned more from this young team than I think I teach them.”
While the defense deserved most of the credit for the win, the offense sealed the deal. After getting on the board with one run in the first inning, the Lady Mustangs busted the game open in the fourth frame.
With two runners on, sophomore outfielder Kristen Campos hit a deep fly ball to center field to bring home sophomore Marissa Nowakowski, who was running for DeLorenzo. Freshman Patricia Olvera followed with a base knock that scored junior shortstop Kayla Aldridge.
“There were no soft balls hit in this game,” Berggren said. “Every ball they hit, was hit hard.”
The Mustangs added two more runs off a double by Campos, who launched a ball over the leftfielder’s head.
Gilroy’s victory was extra special for DeLorenzo as it came on her 18th birthday. She was greeted after the game with cup cakes and singing from her teammates. While the team sang, De Lorenzo was doused with water.
“I won’t have to take a shower tonight,” joked DeLorenzo of her unexpected bath.
