Gilroy’s Villar homers in senior all-star game
Gilroy – Gilroy senior Sarah Villar got to replace a losing ending to her high school softball career with a winning one.
On the same field at the Salinas Sports Complex that the Gilroy softball team ended its season on a week and a half ago to San Benito, the Tri-County Athletic League senior all-stars beat the elite seniors of the Monterey Bay League 6-1.
Villar, the TCAL team’s starting pitcher, struck out nine batters in her six-inning outing. The Sonoma State-bound senior also homered to a gap in right-center field for the winning team.
“It’s really funny because I never get to actually see (the home run),” Villar said. “When I hit, I just run.”
The TCAL team jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back. Notre Dame pitcher Teresa Cardinale relieved Villar in the circle to preserve the win. The TCAL also won last year’s inaugural all-star game.
Villar said she enjoyed getting to play with rivals she’s faced over the past three years.
“I just thought it was really cool because we’ve always been rivals and it’s always neat to have a different perspective,” she said.
It was also a preview to Villar’s upcoming college career. TCAL teammates Alyssa Adamo of Live Oak, Cardinale of Notre Dame and Ashley Eisemann of North Salinas will also be playing for Sonoma State next season. The three seniors – and Salinas’ Tasha Stokes – already play together for the same travel team, the San Jose Extreme Gold.
