Perhaps the first inning was an omen for Gilroy. The Mustangs
had two runners reach base in the top of the first, including a
Jasmine Perez triple, and didn’t score a run. And then Notre Dame
turned around and scored three runs in its half.
Perhaps the first inning was an omen for Gilroy.
The Mustangs had two runners reach base in the top of the first, including a Jasmine Perez triple, and didn’t score a run. And then Notre Dame turned around and scored three runs in its half.
The Spirits used that first inning as the catalyst for a 6-0 Tri-County Athletic League win Thursday over Gilroy.
“The first inning is always somewhat of a telltale inning,” GHS coach Catherine Hallada said. “But the way our team plays, we come back and do a lot of things in other innings.”
It didn’t happen Thursday for the Mustangs (10-4 overall, 1-1 TCAL), who had four hits in the game.
In the first, Lauryn Chris reached on an error. Melinda Ortiz popped up attempting a bunt and Chris froze between first and second. When the ball was dropped, Notre Dame got Ortiz at first and Chris at second. Perez followed with a triple, her seventh extra base hit of the season. She was stranded at third.
Meanwhile, the Spirits (8-2, 2-0) got three runs in the first and two more in the second before Brittany Balanesi came in for the first time as a pitcher this season and quelled the second-inning rally. Patty Olvera then pitched four innings of two-hit relief, allowing just an unearned run.
Gilroy got two-out singles from Amanda Tellez and Alicia Reese in the seventh inning, but couldn’t score. Tellez had two of the Mustangs’ four hits.
Meanwhile, sophomore Sarah Solis was sharp for the Spirits, pitching the shutout and striking out two.
“We were making contact but not getting solid hits,” Hallada said. “We were choosing the wrong pitches.
“They’re good hitters, very aggressive at bat. That’s what we told our girls after the game. You can learn from their hitters. They were being aggressive, swinging at great pitches.”
Gilroy is in action at 4pm today when it faces Monta Vista in the Charlie Miguel Tournament at Twin Creeks.
