The Silicon Valley Glory 18-Gold fastpitch softball team went
undefeated in Hayward this past weekend, not allowing any earned
runs at the first Fall Ball tourney of the season.
The Silicon Valley Glory 18-Gold fastpitch softball team went undefeated in Hayward this past weekend, not allowing any earned runs at the first Fall Ball tourney of the season.
Pitcher Melinda Ortiz earned the win in the club’s first victory of the tournament, a 3-0 win over Team MVP. Ortiz gave up only five hits, and had four strikeouts. Center fielder Emily Castro had two base hits, with two RBIs. Michele Sosa, Adrianna Osuna and Elaina Vasquez also had base hits. First baseman Lindsay Holt hit a triple, but broke a bone in her hand diving back to third on a pickoff play.
With Holt out of the tournament, and most likely the next six weeks of the fall season, Glory had to rearrange the infield and lineup. Sam Parraz pitched a 12-0 shutout against the Lady Athletics, with four strikeouts. She gave up just two hits. Glory scored five runs on four hits in the first inning, and seven runs in the second on eight hits. Sosa went 3-for-3 – all singles – and Osuna and Vasquez went 2-for-2. Alissa and Emily Castro, Melanie Morelos, Parraz, and Ortiz also had hits.
Glory then beat East Bay Impact 3-1, with Ashley Harrington picking up the win. She had three strikeouts and gave up two hits. Emily Castro hit a triple, and Alissa Castro, Morelos, Osuna, Harrington, and Vasquez all had singles.
Glory came into Sunday as the top seed in a rematch with the Lady Athletics in the semifinals. The first four innings turned out to be a pitchers’ duel, until Glory busted it wide open in the fifth, scoring nine runs with an out already recorded. Sam Parraz had two strikeouts and gave up only three hits for Glory, and Harrington hit a two-run RBI double and a single. The Castro sisters, Sosa, Morelos, Vasquez and Parraz also hit singles. The fifth inning was all that was needed as the game ended 9-0.
Melinda Ortiz took the hill in the championship game against Team MVP, which had only one loss – to Glory – in the tourney to that point.
It turned out to be another pitching duel, as Glory won the Championship game with a final score of 1-0.
In the third inning with two outs, third baseman Samantha Romero got on with a single. Alissa Castro then hit a ball back up the middle for a base hit. With runners at first and second, Sosa ripped an RBI double.
Ortiz shut down Team MVP’s batters, allowing only three hits to go with four strikeouts. Ortiz helped her own cause in the field, snagging a hard line drive with runners on first and second for a third out.
“Pitching and defense was key this weekend,” Glory manager Dennis Castro said. “All three pitchers pitched fantastic, each with a 0.0 ERA.”
Samantha Romero had a web gem, making a spectacular diving catch while playing at third base. Ortiz also started a nice 3-6-4 double play on Saturday, and Shortstop Alissa Castro made a nice diving catch up the middle.
Castro added that the outfielders were all solid.
Adrianna Osuna led the team with a .556 batting average, Emily Castro was second with a .545 average, and second baseman Michele Sosa was third with a .462 average.
