Gilroy Hot Shots Remain Hot with 2nd Tourney Win
n Staff Reports
The 16-Under Gilroy Hot Shots No. 2 team won the championship in the NSA Western World Series Qualifier at Sacramento this weekend. The Hot Shots had already qualified for the World Series by winning in Salinas the previous weekend, but wanted to leave no doubt that they belong there.
In the championship game, the Hot Shots rallied late to defeat Grants Pass, Ore. 5-3. In the third inning, Grants Pass got on the board first. But Gilroy answered shortly after with two runs of their own and held on to the momentum.
In the sixth inning, Grants Pass started to swing the game in its favor. With a runner on, the Grants Pass batter hit a line shot triple over the left fielder’s head to score two runs and make the score 3-2.
In the bottom of the sixth inning with one out, the Hot Shots found themselves down by one. Angelica Galindo hit a scorcher into left center for a double to start a rally. Then Mikhaela Osuna hit a base hit to left, sending Galindo to third. Mariah Masteroieni hit a triple to put Gilroy up 4-3. A wild pitch brought Mastroieni to the plate, making the final score 5-3 and giving Gilroy Hot Shots the championship victory.
In the first game of pool play on Saturday, the Hot Shots were matched up against the Vallejo Hurricanes and won 8-0 by the mercy rule.
Starting pitcher Melinda Ortiz pitched a stellar game, giving up just one hit and striking out five. Jasmine Perez had a home run for Gilroy, Mandy Lafuente hit a triple, Osuna and Jessica Garcia had doubles and Andrea Garcia came through with a timely hit.
Ortiz again pitched a strong game against the Pittsburgh Jags, striking out eight in the second game Saturday. But this time, the Hot Shot bat power was lacking. The team fell 2-1. Ortiz, Mastroieni and Andrea Garcia hit singles for Gilroy.
The Gilroy offense came alive against the California Crushers to win 10-0. Perez had a pair of doubles, and Osuna added three hits. Ortiz, Andrea Garcia, Ashley Gamboa, Lafuente and Galindo all had hits. Ortiz struck out nine batters in the victory.
The Hot Shots were seeded No. 2 going into the championship round Sunday. After a bye, they once again faced the Pittsburgh Jags, the team to which they had lost the previous day. This time, the Hot Shots found their stroke. Perez blasted a triple, Andrea Garcia had two hits, Galindo had a single and a double and Osuna, Mastroieni, Gamboa and Sarah Carnaggia all had two hits each. Pitcher Ortiz had nine strikeouts.
Gilroy Chaos 12U Softball Team Wins Hollister Heat Fastpitch Classic
After going an undefeated 4-0 and outscoring their opponents 62-9, the girls from Gilroy carried the momentum with a comeback victory to take down the Cupertino Inferno 8-5 in the championship game of the Hollister Heat Fastpitch Classic on May 28.
As the game reached the bottom of the fourth inning, the Chaos girls were down 5-1. But their spirits were kept alive when Nicole Lara, Sarah Ordaz, and Stephanie Rodriguez all hit triples at the bottom half of the inning to push in four runs to tie the game. In the bottom of the fifth, Stephanie Gomez, Elaina Vasquez and Lara all singled to drive another two runs in, giving the Chaos a 7-5 lead. Gilroy scored its final run in the bottom of the sixth to take an 8-5 lead.
Celeste M. Jimenez would finish the game in the circle by not allowing a single run in the final four innings. The Chaos played solid defense to back its pitcher up and become champions on Memorial Day weekend.
Also contributing to the successful weekend were Lisa Woodson, Anissa Martinez, Jasmine Gutierrez, Chelsea Chilman, Alex Duarte, Athena Gonzales, Dani Hemeon and Shelly Televera. The team is coached by James Jimenez, Mark Ordaz, Armando Gutierrez and Tito Gonzales.
Pro Golfer Ellis Takes Fifth in Spanos Tournament
Live Oak grad and former Gavilan College golfer John Ellis finished in fifth place after the final round Friday at the A.G. Spanos Tournament at Bayonet & Blackhorse Golf Course in Seaside. Ellis finished fifth at 5-under, taking home a check for $5,120. He had a total score of 211. Ellis has won $22,999 in the Spanos California Tour this year.
Santa Rosa resident David Harget took home $18,000 as the winner of the tournament. Harget finished 9-under par.
Left to Right Boxers Fight in Concord
Gilroy’s Left to Right youth boxing club sent two competitors to Concord earlier this month, one of whom came home with a victory.
Ralph Aguinaga, 17, defeated San Francisco’s Angel Sanchez in a rematch of their April bout. Aguinaga won the first fight in Santa Clara and won the second one as well, downing Sanchez with a broken nose 18 seconds into the second round, despite giving up four inches to his opponent.
“To me, it isn’t about size or how strong you are, it is about how hungry you are and who has more heart to swing,” Aguinaga said.
Aguinaga’s Left to Right teammate, 11-year-old Derek Shingu, took on Matt Limper of Modesto. The smaller Shingu came up short against Limper, but was awarded Fight of the Night by event organizers.
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