GILROY—The last time Christopher and Gilroy met, it took just one big inning to put the game. This time, it was Gilroy’s turn.
The Mustangs scored four runs in the third inning to top the Cougars 4-1 at Christopher Thursday to even the season series between the two teams.
“They got the key hits when they needed to get them this time,” Christopher coach Allison Robinson said. “I give credit to Lauren (Castro), when she’s got runs (behind her) she picks up the pace and had our batters in a haze a little bit.”
Lauren Castro was stellar for Gilroy, racking up nine strikeouts while allowing just three hits and three walks through seven innings. She was crucial behind the plate, too. Castro went 1 for 4 with an RBI, a run, two stolen bases and was hit by pitch.
Christopher struck first when Brook Loesch hit a sac fly to left field to score Mackenize Holt, who leadoff with a walk. The Cougars had Pati Soria on third, but were unable to bring her home as Gilroy got two quick outs to end the inning.
It appeared that Christopher was going to take control early, as two of its three hits—and its run—came in the first two innings. Cougars’ pitcher Holt had the batters grabbing some bench almost as quickly as they had gotten to the plate. She allowed on one hit, a single by Alexis Conlon, in the top of the first before striking out Nicole Green to end the inning. Though the wind was howling, the Cougar defense didn’t let it affect them as they got three quicks outs in the second with a fly out and routine ground balls to end the inning.
Then the crucial third inning happened.
Rachel Tomlinson led off with a single to shallow right field and Sarah Weiby laid down a beautiful bunt single to move her over. Castro was safe at first on overthrown ball, allowing Tomlinson to score the equalizer and Weiby to stand 90 feet from home plate. Two batters later, Conlon doubled to drive home Weiby and put the Mustangs ahead 2-1. Nicole Green executed a squeeze play perfectly to score Castro and Maddie Cox hit a sac fly to right field to bring home Conlon. Green was stranded as Holt struck out Cierra Montoya-Valdez to end the inning.
Conlon led Gilroy with two hits, a double, an RBI and a run scored.
“They scored their first run in the first inning, but at that point though it didn’t feel like how they had scored in the last game. It didn’t feel like we had let them score—they earned it. We fought back, we fought hard,” Gilroy coach Julie Berggren said. “We had the bases full today, we put the ball on the ground a lot better today than we did the last time we faced them. That’s some good confidence building and definitely how I feel we should be playing.”
Christopher’s best chance to answer came in the bottom half of the fourth when Karli Martinez was walked with two outs and stole second and third to get in scoring position. That’s as far as she’d get, however, as Britanny Souza would become Castro’s third strikeout victim of the inning.
Christopher (16-8 overall, 5-5 in league) is currently tied with Salinas for third place of the Monterey Bay League-Gabilan Division with just two games left in the regular season. They have key games against second place San Benito at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at home and first place Notre Dame at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
“Those are going to be tough games to play,” Robinson said. “What’s fun about this year is—and I give my girls a lot of credit—we’ve really stepped up. Last year we were the low man on the totem pole and we got beat a ton. This year we’re coming out (strong) and we’re more in the middle of the pack. Teams have to really worry about us being the underdog and beating them.”
Gilroy is right with Christopher in the playoff hunt with a 7-11 overall record, 5-4 in league—and its final games aren’t any easier. The Mustangs with face the tough Balers team at 4:30 p.m. today in Hollister and will have a key meeting with Salinas at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. They close the regular season against North Salinas at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at home.
“(We just have to) stay focused and keep winning—that’s what we have to do,” Berggren said. “It’s pretty simple at this point. …This is a big week for us emotionally and we’re excited.”
