GHS softball team leaves 10 runners on base in 4-3 road loss
SALINAS – Trailing by two runs in the top of the seventh inning, the Gilroy High softball squad loaded up the bases with no outs against host Salinas.
Winless in their previous five games – four in league – the Lady Mustangs were hungry to break out of their slump. But three straight ground balls did not find any holes in the Lady Vikings’ infield, as Gilroy dropped its sixth in a row, 4-3.
“I think the key thing was when they got runners on, they scored. We left 10 runners on base today,” head coach Julie Berggren said. “We were hitting the ball and doing what we needed to do to get on, but we just couldn’t get enough runs across.”
Freshman Yolanda Esquivel started the seventh-inning rally with a base hit and freshman Erin Magill followed with a base-on-balls. Freshman Russhelle Preeshl’s single then loaded the bases for junior Kayla Aldridge, who reached on a fielder’s choice with the lead runner out at home plate.
Bases were still loaded for sophomore Kristen Campos, but she settled for an RBI fielder’s choice with Magill forced out at third base. The last hope in the one-run ball game was freshman Amanda Tellez, who grounded out to the pitcher to end it.
“I thought we’d at least tie it, but scoring one run in the seventh was a big deal for us,” Berggren said. “Yes, it would have been wonderful to score some more. We didn’t win, but we’re still fighting and we’re going to continue to keep fighting, and eventually we’ll be on the other end of one of these battles.”
The Lady Mustangs are a woeful 1-5 in the Tri-County Athletic League and 7-7 overall, but Berggren has not given up hope on turning the season around and climbing back into the playoff hunt.
“We’re so young and we’re learning so much every day. It’s all going to fall into place. Hopefully, this year. I’m not looking to next year yet,” Berggren said. “Definitely, I’m still looking at this year. We still have a chance. I’m not at all giving up on these girls and their abilities.”
Senior catcher Bria DeLorenzo, the lone upperclassmen on this year’s team, belted two hits in her new role as the lead-off hitter. DeLorenzo led off Gilroy’s two-run first inning with a single. Pinch runner Marissa Nowakowski and Esquivel, who reached base on a walk, both came around to score on a throwing error by the Salinas catcher.
Gilroy’s lead was quickly trimmed to one with the Lady Cowboys scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Salinas tied the score in the second inning, and later took a two-run advantage with single runs in the fifth and sixth frames.
Sophomore hurler Sarah Villar allowed only one earned run in her solid complete-game performance, as she struck out five and walked three. But the offense could not fully back her up once again.
“I’m happy with their defense. I’m happy with all of us getting on base. I’m just a little disappointed that we didn’t score some more runs,” said Berggren, whose squad will compete in the Mission City Invite, beginning on Saturday. “I’m hoping this next tournament will bring us out of our slump.”
“We have great leadership and we’re going to get there,” she added. “It’s just a slower start than what everyone had hoped for.”
