Villar pitches eight shutout innings in 1-0 win over Mt.
Pleasant, but GHS softball loses next two in Mission City
SANTA CLARA – Things were looking up for the slumping Lady Mustang softball team – which ended a six-game skid with Friday’s 1-0 victory over Mount Pleasant to open the Mission City Invite.
But Gilroy went back to its old-and-unwanted ways in their next two tournament games, stranding runners on base and not generating enough offense to back some superb pitching. The result was back-to-back losses to Presentation and Fremont.
“Overall, we did a lot of good things, but we left a lot of runners in scoring position,” head coach Julie Berggren said. “I think it will definitely come. I think it will come with experience. It’s just that last little hit that we need.”
Sophomore hurler Sarah Villar pitched eight shutout innings, scattering four hits and striking out four, to lead the Lady Mustangs in their opening nod over Mount Pleasant.
“She pitched a really good game,” said Berggren of Villar, who did not allow seven base runners to cross home plate. “She looks more determined with runners on.”
The international tie-breaker rule came into effect in the eighth inning of the scoreless tie since it was a tournament game. (In league play, a runner is not placed on second base until the 10th inning.)
Sophomore speedster Marissa Nowakowski stood on second base for Gilroy in the decisive eighth inning. After freshman third baseman Amanda Tellez sacrificed Nowakowski to third, freshman outfielder Patty Olvera laid down another bunt. This time, the catcher fielded it, but threw the ball away at first base to allow Nowakowski to score.
Villar then stepped on the hill in the bottom half of the eighth with a runner starting at second base. After a sacrifice bunt advanced the runner to third, Villar forced a sharp grounder to second baseman Yolanda Esquivel – who gunned the lead runner down at home plate. Senior catcher Bria DeLorenzo turned it into a double-play when she threw out the other runner headed for second.
“She’s a wall. She is throwing hard,” said Berggren of DeLorenzo. “We were definitely excited to break our losing streak. The girls were ecstatic. They got there (Saturday) morning and were ready to play.”
Unfortunately, the Lady Mustangs fell behind in the first frame, giving up three runs with junior hurler Christina Hernandez on the mound, and faltered to Presentation, 3-1.
Hernandez settled down after the three-run first and did not allow another run in the final six frames. But the Gilroy offense could not put up any runs, stranding four runners on base.
“We all kind of started a little flat, but after we got through the first inning, we had great defense. We were even with them and hung with their pitcher,” Berggren said. “Presentation is ranked third in CCS and we hung right there with them. It was good for the girls. We did pretty good against them.”
Sophomore outfielder Kristen Campos led off the fourth inning with a double and was advanced to third on a DeLorenzo sacrifice bunt. Freshman Russhelle Preeshl then drove in Campos with a single to the right side of the diamond.
“We adjusted. We were swinging at the first pitch, which was her best pitch, and started making some really solid contact,” Berggren said.
Besides a sixth-inning single from DeLorenzo, the Lady Mustangs did not threaten again.
“I’m proud of them for hanging in there and not giving up. After that first inning, it would have been easy for them to give up,” Berggren said. “It was nice to see them adjust and hit the ball hard. We hit some really hard balls, but they were just line shots at people.”
In Saturday’s second game, their third of the tournament, the Lady Mustangs dropped a 1-0 decision in eight innings to Fremont.
“A little upsetting, but they didn’t give the game away, but stranding runners in scoring position was a little disappointing,” Berggren said.
The Lady Mustangs stranded eight runners on base.
Once again, Villar went the full eight frames, striking out five and giving up five hits in the losing cause.
“She pitched another great game,” Berggren said.
In the tie-breaker eighth inning, Fremont scored first to put the pressure on. Gilroy could not match it, leaving Campos at third base with a pair of ground-outs to short.
Up next, the Lady Mustangs will travel to Hollister on Thursday for their second league game against San Benito High at 3:30 p.m.
“We can definitely hang with them. If we can play solid defense and push a couple of runs across the plate, it will be a fun game,” said Berggren, whose squad lost 4-0 to Hollister the first time around with all four runs coming in the seventh inning. “We’ve been making so many improvements every day. It’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of when.”
