Olvera tosses no-hitter in 10-0 softball victory; Kirkish goes
six strong in 10-2 baseball triumph
GILROY – The Gilroy High baseball and softball squads both kept their playoff hopes alive Thursday with lopsided home victories over visiting Alvarez.
The Lady Mustangs (6-5 in MBL, 12-10 overall) were backed by junior hurler Jenn Olvera’s no-hit, complete-game shutout – cruising to a 10-0 mercy-rule win in the shortened six-inning affair.
“That is the most runs we’ve scored in a league game this year,” said first-year skipper Julie Berggren, whose squad has two crucial league games remaining next Tuesday against Alisal and next Thursday against North County. “It took a lot of focus and concentration on our girls part to hit line drives and not pop ups against those pitchers. For the most part, we did a great job.”
The Mustangs (9-7 in MBL) also received a stellar pitching performance from junior starter Jon Kirkish – who struck out four through six solid innings in Gilroy’s 10-2 triumph.
Gilroy now has a critical match-up against neighboring rival Live Oak next Tuesday in Morgan Hill at 4 p.m.
In the Lady Mustangs’ win, Olvera struck out 10 batters and registered three hits at the plate. Gilroy scored three runs in the first inning, one in the second, two in the fourth, and four in the sixth.
“We have to win our next two games to have a chance for CCS,” Berggren said. “We’ve definitely learned alot this season. We need to have more concentration and focus in these next two games. We’ve got the desire and will. We just need to focus.
In the Mustangs’ victory, infielders Kyle Kretz and Jesus Gaona both registerd two-hit games as Gilroy scored three runs in the first, six in the fourth, one in the sixth, and one in the seventh.
