Olvera starts on mound, but Lady Mustangs no-hit by Notre Dame’s
Reeder
SALINAS – Freshman Patricia Olvera is the ultimate team player.
After starting the season on the bench as a reserve outfielder and back-up pitcher, the versatile softball player first cracked the Lady Mustang line-up in left field – proving her worth with the glove and the bat.
For Thursday’s league clash against private-power Notre Dame, Olvera was called upon for something else, stepping on the mound in replace of ailing starter Sarah Villar. Although Gilroy fell 3-0 to the Lady Spirits, Olvera still shined – allowing only six hits and one walk.
“She did an excellent job, considering she hasn’t got a whole lot of time this year,” said head coach Julie Berggren of Olvera. “She’s a natural athlete. She pitches and that’s her thing. … We’re trying to get her playing time whenever we can. Today, she stepped up and did a super job.”
Villar, Gilroy’s sophomore ace, is out for the rest of the season with a nagging muscle tear in her leg. The tough competitor has been dealing with the injury for some time, resting between games and re-injuring it every time she pitches.
“She can’t pitch anymore. She has to rest. The muscle is pulling away from her bone. Every time she goes out and pitches again, it gets worse,” said Berggren of Villar. “Sarah’s older and has more experience, but Patty is going to come into her own eventually.”
Villar was not the only Lady Mustang out of the line-up for Thursday’s contest. Senior catcher Bria DeLorenzo, who was replaced by freshman Russhelle Preeshle behind the plate, could not play due to a concussion she suffered during a collision at the plate in Tuesday’s loss to San Benito. With Olvera on the hill, freshman Erin Magill moved from first base to left field and junior Kendal Costa started at first base.
“We did all right considering,” Berggren said.
Notre Dame senior ace Kim Reeder pitched a no-hitter – allowing only two Gilroy base-runners all game on walks and striking out 13 batters.
“She’s throwing harder than she was in beginning of year and her ball just has a ton of movement on it,” said Berggren of Reeder, who also belted a home run in the Lady Spirits’ two-run fourth inning. “It would have been over our fence at our field. Notre Dame doesn’t have a fence. She just hit a shot.”
Notre Dame (12-1 in T-CAL, 26-1 overall) took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning with a lead-off triple and an RBI single.
Gilroy (3-10 in T-CAL, 10-15 overall), which has six freshmen on this year’s varsity roster, will miss the CCS Playoffs for the first time in seven seasons.
“We have a super young team. Filling Bria’s shoes (next year) is going to be huge, but having everyone else coming back is a huge positive,” Berggren said.
“Overall, they just learned so much this year and they play so well together that the next couple of years are going to be real exciting to watch,” the coach added. “l think they all had a good time this year and I had a great time coaching them. Just to see them grow and mature as softball players was really fun.”
The Lady Mustangs have two games remaining on the road against North Salinas on Tuesday and at home against Live Oak on Thursday. Both games are scheduled to start at 4 p.m.
