Gavilan baseball has been trying to get acclimated to the
collegiate level all season. Coach Neal Andrade believes that
adjustment period must now come to an end. It’s time for his team
to start pulling out close contests.
Gavilan baseball has been trying to get acclimated to the collegiate level all season. Coach Neal Andrade believes that adjustment period must now come to an end. It’s time for his team to start pulling out close contests.
“Some of the opponents we’re playing are good college baseball teams.” Andrade said. “[Our players] are seeing that we can compete at this level. But it’s about not being satisfied with competing.”
The Rams dropped two games last week, losing to Chabot 9-7 Thursday and 8-3 to West Valley Saturday. But with three games in four days to be played at home this week – starting today at 2 p.m. against Hartnell – Andrade thinks his team has an excellent chance to improve on its 6-9-1 record, 1-4 in Coast Conference play.
“It’s a good week for us to get back in there,” he said. “We got a good chance to get things rolling back in the right direction.”
Individuals that could play a role in rebounding include standouts from the game against Chabot. Chris Barber had five RBI, Tyler Osborne hit a home run and Joseph Vasquez pitched “a solid seven innings of work,” according to Andrade.
Alex Oberle was the starter against West Valley, throwing for six innings and allowing six runs. The game was far more even than the score would indicate, though, as Gilroy had just one less hit than West Valley’s 10, and committed one less error to their opponent’s two.
The Rams will face De Anza Thursday at 2 p.m. and then host San Jose City Saturday at Noon in a game that was originally scheduled to be on the road.
“The good thing about baseball is we don’t have to wait a whole week to get back on the field,” Andrade said. “It’s kind of tough when you get into a funk team-wise, but it can go the other way. Winning is contagious just like losing is.”
Softball
Gavilan softball split games Saturday after winning two in a row at the end of Thursday.
Julie Broyer hit a solo home run Thursday allowing the Lady Rams to put together back-to-back wins as they defeated host Monterey Peninsula College 4-1.
Broyer’s blast came in the fifth inning and was a little added insurance for Gavilan, which held MPC scoreless until two outs into the bottom of the seventh inning.
“Overall, it wasn’t our best game, but we played well enough to win,” manager Nikki Dequin said.
Pitcher Danielle Hernandez allowed one run on five hits and earned the win for the Rams. The lone run allowed came in the last inning when MPC connected on a solo homer.
By then, however, it was too little, too late for the Lobos.
The Rams (19-7, 6-4 Coast Conference – South) hosted a doubleheader against College of Sequoias Saturday, splitting the two games. The Lady Rams won the first game 8-2, but dropped the second game 8-3.
Gavilan will be back on the field today at 3p.m. at Cabrillo before a game Thursday at 3 p.m. at Hartnell..
