A year older, Lady Mustangs’ softball gears up for title run
First-year Gilroy softball head coach Catherine Hallada likes the situation she’s stepped into.
“We basically have 12 people we know we can put out there in any position,” said Hallada, who previously was an assistant coach at St. Francis, her alma mater.
And majority of those twelve on the 2006 Gilroy varsity softball squad already know what it’s like to compete in the tough Tri-County Athletic League, despite their youth.
The one least familiar with the TCAL, which sent three teams to the finals of the Central Coast Section playoffs last season? Hallada herself.
“It sounds like we should be pretty strong in league, from what I’ve heard from the girls,” Hallada said.
The Lady Mustangs open their season today at Westmont at 4pm.
Unlike last year’s league powers Notre Dame (2005 Division III CCS champion) and Live Oak (2005 Division I CCS champion), the Mustangs return their No. 1 pitcher. Sonoma State-bound senior Sarah Villar was 14-14 last year with 146 strikeouts in 174 innings and had an ERA of 1.05.
Villar will again be the workhorse on the mound this year, but she’ll also receive backup from junior Patty Olvera. As a sophomore, Olvera was used sparingly on the mound but had one of the Mustangs’ best bats. She led Gilroy with a .327 batting average.
Last season, the Lady Mustangs graduated just one senior from its roster. Shortstop Kayla Aldridge is now playing at St. Mary’s of Moraga, where 25-year-old Hallada also was once a shortstop. Aldridge led the team in hits with 29 and was one of the most consistent infielders.
On paper, it looked like the rest of the Gilroy roster would return, but All-TCAL first baseman Erin Magill and right fielder Dana Schoeneman won’t be playing this season.
Gilroy still has plenty of returnees. In addition to Olvera and Villar, sophomore Brittany Balanesi, sophomore Lauryn Chris, junior Yolanda Esquivel, sophomore Kylie Herrera and junior Amanda Tellez (whose father Arnold is the new varsity assistant coach) are all returning starters. Esquivel and Tellez will return to their posts in the infield at second and third base, respectively. But Herrera will be making the move from center field to shortstop and Olvera, who played mostly outfield last year, will play first.
Chris, primarily an outfielder, will fill in at second for Esquivel for at least the first few games while the sophomore is out with an injury, Hallada said.
Expect to see Herrada and Chris, both speedy left-handed slappers, at the top of the lineup. However, they’re not the only Mustangs with speed. Balanesi, a surprisingly powerful hitter, also heads up an overall quick lineup.
“They’re just quick and smart,” Hallada said. “Our base running should be top-notch this year.”
Tellez will likely hit in the No. 3 spot.
“She’s one of our most consistent batters this year,” Hallada said.
To the Mustangs advantage, other TCAL teams have been hit where it hurts by graduation. Though young, Live Oak lost standout pitcher Juliette Bowers. Perhaps hardest hit was Notre Dame, who lost one of the most dominant pitchers in the area and 2005 Gatorade California Player of the Year Kim Reeder to Ohio State.
2006 Gilroy Mustangs Softball Schedule
Date Opponent Time
3/2 @ Westmont V/JV 3:45pm
3/7 v Mitty JV 3:45pm
3/8 @ St. Francis (Scrim) V 3:45
3/9 @ Harbor JV/V 3:45pm
3/10 @ Spirits Invite (ND-Salinas) JV TBA
3/10 @ Annie Lynch COC V TBA
3/11 @ Spirits Invite (ND-Salinas) JV TBA
3/11 @ Annie Lynch COC V TBA
3/17 @ Spirits Invite (ND-Salinas) JV TBA
3/18 @ Spirits Invite (ND-Salinas) JV TBA
3/18 @ Annie Lynch COC V TBA
3/21 @ San Benito JV/V 3:45pm
3/23 v Live Oak JV/V 3:45pm
2006 Gilroy Mustangs Softball Team
No. Name Year Position
9 Brittany Balanesi Sophomore C/OF
16 Lauryn Chris Sophomore 2B/OF
2 Yolanda Esquivel Junior 2B/OF
33 Angelica Galindo Sophomore 3B/OF
3 Kylie Herrada Sophomore SS/OF
22 Liz Ines Senior SS
21 Patty Olvera Junior 1B/P
11 Jasmine Perez Freshman OF/C
10 Caitlyn Pierotti Sophomore C/OF
23 Krystal Torres Junior OF
24 Amanda Tellez Junior 3B/OF
5 Sarah Villar Senior P/OF
