Senior Bubu Garcia was voted the Gilroy High baseball team’s lone Tri-County Athletic League first-team representative – the third straight such distinction for the shortstop. In addition to Garcia, five other Mustangs received year-end accolades.
“He didn’t have the season he wanted, but what he has done throughout his time at Gilroy High contributed to this award,” GHS manager Jared Gamble said.
Garcia, last year’s league Most Valuable Player, saw his offensive statistics drop off a bit as the Mustangs struggled to a 5-17 overall record. However, one of the league’s most colorful and enthusiastic ball players posted a TCAL-best four home runs. He topped the Mustangs with 13 RBIs inside TCAL play and put together a .288 batting average.
“He’s a great kid,” Gamble said. “With the season that we had, he still showed up and played baseball every day. That’s for sure.”
Garcia spent last week in Arizona at a pre-Major League Baseball-draft workout for the Diamondbacks, Gamble said.
Junior Brenden Holler and senior Ryan Alba took home second-team honors, while senior Jordan Dexter, junior Jalynd Gallardo and sophomore Josh Boykin made Honorable Mention.
Holler paced the Mustangs’ offense with a .439 batting average in 18 league contests. His 25 hits were a team-high, and his eight stolen bases were second behind Alba (10).
Alba, the center fielder/starting pitcher, batted .317 for Gamble and the Mustangs.
“Both have a lot of speed and played very well defensively,” Gamble said. “They were my number one and number two pitchers – just really good all around athletes.”
The second half of Gallardo’s season is evidenced in his .308 batting average – a final total that included a four-game stretch where he had eight hits. He also recorded 12 strikeouts and a 2.86 earned run average in 22 innings pitched.
“He filled in as that number three starter on the hill and late in the season really came around as a hitter,” Gamble said.
Dexter, a former first-team selection, like Garcia, had, to his standards, an off year. The utility player, who spent time at catcher, pitcher and first base, still managed to hit .275 for the Mustangs.
“He started really, really hot but kind of cooled off at the end,” Gamble said. “He put a lot of pressure on himself, but he was one of the best catchers in the league. He had to battle through an injury. No matter where he played, he controlled the infield.”
Gamble said Boykin was a pleasant surprise this season, earning playing time as a sophomore. Boykin compiled a .333 batting average in nine league games.
“He worked his way into the designated hitter role and found a way to get on base every game,” Gamble said.
Rounding out the awards, Gallardo was also the Mustangs’ representative for the Sportsmanship Award.
