Gilroy
– The rain couldn’t stop them. Neither could Cabrillo
College.
The Gavilan Lady Rams improved their softball record to 8-5
– they’re now 2-1 in the Coast Conference – with a
weather-halted win over their league rivals in Aptos on Thursday
afternoon.
Gilroy – The rain couldn’t stop them. Neither could Cabrillo College.
The Gavilan Lady Rams improved their softball record to 8-5 – they’re now 2-1 in the Coast Conference – with a weather-halted win over their league rivals in Aptos on Thursday afternoon.
After six full innings in drizzly conditions, the Rams were up 10-8 and had just put down a furious five-run rally by Cabrillo. With the weather making the playing field sloppy, officials called the game and Gavilan chalked up another win in a season that’s looking more promising by the day.
Courtney Colianna, taking the mound with two outs in the sixth in relief of starter Gina Botkins, allowed a blooper to Cabrillo’s Jay Spehor that scored the Seahawks’ fifth run of the inning and eighth on the day. But Colianna bore down and struck out Mary Campbell to end the inning, and, it turned out, the game.
“The weather was fine through the first two or three innings, then the drizzle came,” said Gavilan head coach Tim Kenworthy. “I was very proud of how well our gals played under rather adverse conditions, but the rain made it tough for both teams- especially for the pitchers.”
The Rams started the game off with a bang, striking three times in the top of the first inning. Kristina Pena led off with a line drive single to left field. Katie Arao walked, then Kristine Miles loaded the bases with a sharp single to left. Pena scored on Colianna’s groundout to short, then Justine McDonald drove in Arao and Miles with a smash hit to center.
Cabrillo notched one run in the bottom of the first and two in the fourth, but the Rams kept their lead intact with single runs in the third and fourth innings. Gavilan raced ahead with two runs in the fifth and put three across the plate in the sixth. Taking a 10-3 lead going into the bottom of the sixth, Botkins, who had held the Seahawks in check for most of the game, faltered and Kenworthy handed the ball to Colianna.
Leading the Rams’ 14-hit attack was designated hitter Erinn Gouker, who went 3 for 4 with four RBIs. Catcher Justine McDonald went 3 for 4 and knocked two runs in, centerfielder Katie Arao went 2 for 3 and scored a pair; Kristine Miles was 2 for 4 with a run scored; and Amanda Jackson was 2 for 4 with two RBIs.
“We’ve been hitting the ball real well, we’re playing solid defense, and we’ve been getting some strong pitching performances from our three pitchers,” Kenworthy said.
The Lady Rams take the field in the Monterey Peninsula College Tournament this weekend.
