On a cool cloudy Saturday April 26, softball teams from Gilroy and Christopher high schools, along with members of local communities, came together at Gilroy High for the annual Sarah Villar Memorial Game.
The event honors and memorializes Villar, a Gilroy softball pitcher and graduate who was killed by a drunk driver as she was walking with her fiancé Tayler Schmitt and her dog in Hollister in June 2021. Villar, then 32, was a pediatric therapist for Young Interventions, an early intervention and family support agency. Schmitt survived with injuries.
After graduating from Gilroy High, Sarah Villar attended Sonoma State on an athletic scholarship and then on to graduate school at San Diego State. She became a Doctor of Physical Therapy.
“It (this game) is to honor Sarah and what she brought to the community,” longtime Gilroy coach Dusty Lester said. “She was a super kid, always there for someone else.”
Lester is on sabbatical this year, with Tom Barrera managing the Mustangs. Lester and other members of the community were present Saturday, many wearing pink “Sarah Villar Memorial Game 2026” T-shirts. Players from both schools wore pink ribbons, with coaches adding pink to their shirts.
“As a team, we asked a lot of questions to learn about Sarah,” Gilroy freshman pitcher Brooklyn Puthoff said. “We learned more and we heard her story.”
The game was a spirited friendly competition between neighboring schools, with many players longtime friends with their opponents. The contest provided a symbolic memorial. Results were secondary and, in the game, Gilroy won 4-0.
“It’s nice that the other school (Christopher) comes here every year,” Gilroy coach Barrera said. “It is a way to observe and to honor the family. It is an emotional time. The younger kids didn’t know her, but they learned and understood.”
On the diamond, the Mustangs jumped ahead quickly. Dayanara Jaimes led off with a walk and Puthoff ripped a single to left. Christy Haro’s groundout brought Jaimes home for an early lead. In the Gilroy second, Olive Burke walked, Emma Mendez singled to right and Jaedalyn Rhoades bunted to move both runners into scoring position. Jaimes smacked a single to left center to score the two for a 3-0 lead.
Gilroy’s Lalita Solis doubled in an insurance run in the fifth for the final score of the day.
In the circle, Puthoff was dealing. In six innings, she allowed no hits and just one walk, while striking out 10 batters.
“It went really well today,” Puthoff said. “My change-up was a major part of it. As was my riseball.”
The season has been a bit of a struggle for the youthful Mustangs. They are 5-13 overall, 2-6 in the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s top division, Mt. Hamilton. Haro leads Gilroy at the plate with a .422 average and two homers. Averi Peters is hitting .317. The pitching staff is led by the freshman duo of Burke, with 61 innings pitched, and Puthoff, who has thrown 37.1 innings.
“The future is really bright at this school,” coach Barrera said. “We have six freshmen on varsity, one sophomore, two juniors and three seniors. They’re in an ‘A League’ (BVAL Mt. Hamilton Division). They’re young and once they get a feel for what it’s like in the ‘A Division,’ they’ll bounce back. Going forward, it’s very positive.”
Christopher is in the BVAL’s Santa Teresa Division, a “B League” grouping. They are 11-7 overall this year, up from last year’s 8-12 finish. In league play, the Cougars are 9-3, in third place in a 10-team division.
Katelyn Vega, who did not pitch Saturday, has been in the circle most of the season. She has thrown 87 innings with a sparkling 2.33 ERA. The offense, though quiet on Saturday, has usually been hot. Bella Laredo leads with a .440 average, 18 runs scored and 14 RBIs. Andrina Cabanlit is hitting .417, with 13 runs and 15 RBIs, Olivia Wilson is at .396 with 16 runs and 14 RBIs and Natalia Uribe is hitting .391 with 19 runs scored and 13 RBIs.
“We’re doing well this year,” Cougars coach George Pula said. “Overall, we’ve improved our offense and defense. Katelyn Vega is doing very well. Our freshman catcher Sophia McGhie is doing fantastic. Our shortstop Bella Laredo is the captain of our defense. She is our glue; she leads us on the field and is our best offensive player.”
The teams resumed league play the following week. Christopher showed their growth right away, with a 6-4 win over Leland, the team above them in the standings. Vega was sharp on the mound, Alexis Herbst was 3-for-3 with a homer, and Kiley Lira and Laredo each had two hits.
For Gilroy, the team continues to grow in many ways. The remaining six games offer the chance to move up in the standings, as they are just 1.5 games out of fourth place in the eight-team division.
“This season has been a journey for us,” Puthoff said. “We are a very young team. We’re going to build up. I’m excited to see our growth.”
This day, though, was about more than just balls and strikes, hits and runs. A much more noble cause.
“The previous coaches such as Amanda Tellez knew Sarah and were great friends with her,” coach Pula said. “We want to keep this event going.”
The Gilroy Foundation has set up a yearly Sarah Villar Scholar Athlete Scholarship to be awarded to a female graduating student from Gilroy or Christopher who is set to enter college. More details can be found at gilroyfoundation.org
“This game wasn’t about the softball or the score,” said Lester, at the 2024 game. “It was to honor and remember Sarah.”
