SOFTBALL: Mustangs’ bats on the ball in 11-0 win

Amber Gamboa’s first inning two-run home run set an early – and loud – offensive tone for the Gilroy High softball team, which collected 13 hits in an 11-0 win in five innings over visiting non-league opponent Monta Vista (Cupertino) on Wednesday.
Gamboa had a day at the dish – tallying three hits – as did senior Casey Lester, who added three RBIs as well.
Eight of the nine GHS starters posted at least one hit. The one that didn’t, Nicole Green, contributed in a different manner – a pair of RBI sacrifice fly outs.
Three batters into the ball game, the Mustangs had their first run. Lester led off the bottom half of the first frame with a base knock up the middle. Celeste Mendoza escorted her to second with a sacrifice bunt, and Kaylana Mah traded places with a RBI double. Gamboa made it 3-0 with her heat-seeker that just cleared the centerfield fence.
Green and Lester collected the runs batted in for GHS in the second, increasing the gap to 5-0.
Back-to-back singles from Gamboa and Lauren Castro turned into the sixth and seventh runs of the afternoon. Adrianna Ortega, Shawnte Garcia and Tellez also crossed home in the bottom of the third – the latter two on a Lester infield single and errant throw – to inflate matters to 9-0.
Garcia capped the scoring barrage in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run double that snuck inside the right-field foul line.
Castro, who got the start in the circle, retired Monta Vista in order in the top of the fifth to finalize the contest. Castro allowed two hits and struck out six in a game that lasted a shade over one hour.
If the Mustangs (4-1) feel as though their time on the diamond wasn’t sufficient, they have less than 24 hours until their next outing – the Tri-County Athletic League opener against Alisal this afternoon. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m.