For two innings Tuesday at Gilroy High, it appeared the Mustangs
were in for another pitchers’ duel with Salinas junior Samantha
Rodriguez.
By Matt Wellens Special to the Dispatch
Gilroy – For two innings Tuesday at Gilroy High, it appeared the Mustangs were in for another pitchers’ duel with Salinas junior Samantha Rodriguez. The tall Cowboys pitcher mowed down the Mustangs in early April at Salinas, striking out six batters while allowing one run and three hits.
Tuesday, however, it was Gilroy junior Melinda Ortiz who sat down six Cowboy batters and the Mustang bats that mowed down Rodriguez in a 3-0 win.
“I knew this was a really good power hitting team so I knew I had to hit my spots,” Ortiz said. “It was mostly my catcher (Caitlyn Pierotti). She knew exactly what to do.”
The victory moved Gilroy (22-7 overall, 7-4 Tri-County Athletic League) into a tie for third place with Salinas (16-9, 7-4) and keeps the Mustangs alive in the race for second place in the Tri-County League behind Notre Dame.
San Benito clinched the league title last week when Salinas fell to Alvarez 1-0 Thursday.
“We needed a win so this helped us a lot,” Gilroy coach Catherine Hallada said. “It was a good fight that we put up. We had a lot of good hitting. We played strong even though we had a slow start to Senior Day.”
Ortiz picked up her fifth shutout of the season and improved her record to 9-2. She gave up only four hits in seven innings, walked one batter and hit another. She surrendered a hit in each of the first two innings but settled in from there, retiring 12 of the next 13 batters in the third through sixth innings.
“She pitched a great game,” Hallada said. “Her rise was hot today and they were fooled by it too. That helps.”
Just as Ortiz settled in on the mound, the Mustangs bats came to life against Rodriguez. Gilroy made a run in the third but stranded runners on second and third to end the inning scoreless.
In the fourth, Pierotti finally cracked the Cowboys with a RBI-single which drove in sophomore Jasmine Perez. Senior Alicia Reese advanced to third on the RBI hit and came home shortly after on a wild pitch. Perez added another run for Gilroy in the fifth inning with an RBI double, driving in Lauryn Chris.
Chris, a junior second baseman, stole three bases, including one in the fifth that moved her into scoring position. A wild pitch advanced her to third, setting up the third run.
Chris reached base four times, going 3-for-3 at the plate with a walk as well. Perez was 2-for-3 with a single, double, stolen base, run and a RBI.
“Salinas weather throws us off,” Hallada said. “We made (Rodriguez) look really good the last game and this time we did what we know how to do. We know how to hit. We made the adjustments, read her pitches and hit well.”
Rodriguez was chased from the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. She finished with three strikeouts, two walks, eight hits and three runs, two of which were earned.
Gilroy will close out its regular season at 4:30pm Thursday at Alisal. The Mustangs shut out the Trojans 10-0 on April 17.
Salinas 000 000 0 – 0 3 2
Gilroy 000 210 x – 3 8 0
Rodriguez, Lobato (6) and Phillips. Ortiz and Pierotti. WP – Ortiz. LP – Rodriguez.
2B – Perez (Gil).
