Gilroy High’s softball team got off to a strong start to the
season this past weekend, going 3-2 to make an appearance in the
championship game of the Half Moon Bay Tournament.
Gilroy High’s softball team got off to a strong start to the season this past weekend, going 3-2 to make an appearance in the championship game of the Half Moon Bay Tournament.
Opening with a victory on Thursday due to a forfeit by Mills, the Mustangs advanced past Milpitas on Saturday morning with a 5-0 win.
Gilroy pitcher Ashley Harrington got the victory with a six-inning shutout, recording seven strikeouts.
The Mustangs lost 1-0 to Carlmont in their next game, but rebounded by beating Notre Dame of Belmont 5-2. Sam Parraz took the close loss against Carlmont, while Sarah Lira pitched the winner over Notre Dame.
A rematch against Carlmont in the championship game ended with a similar result to earlier in the tournament, as the Mustangs lost 4-2. Harrington was Gilroy’s pitcher in the final.
Compared to last year, when Gilroy won the Half Moon Bay tourney and beat Carlmont in pool play as well as the final, this season’s outcomes were almost the exact opposite.
Still, Gilroy coach Catherine Hallada said she was happy with what she saw in the first weekend.
“They did really well for our first tournament, for our first games,” Hallada said. “I couldn’t really ask much more of them.”
Lira led the team in hits on the weekend, including a home run. After an excellent freshman season, Gilroy is counting on Lira to pick up right where she left off last year, when she led the team in multi-hit games with nine and was tied for first in the Tri-County Athletic League with six home runs.
“I hope she improved, but she … was already really good last year,” Hallada said. “As long as she is as good as last year, we should be fine.”
Overall, the Mustangs have enough talent to come close to matching or possible outdoing last year’s run to the Central Coast Section championship game, which ended in an 8-3 loss to rival Hollister.
Lira, Parraz and Harrington will be counted on to split pitching duties throughout the season after losing last year’s starter, Melinda Ortiz, to graduation.
Center fielder Jasmine Perez was an All-TCAL selection last season, and will be counted on once again to be one of the Mustangs biggest bats.
Tuesday’s game against Presentation was postponed until April 9 due to heavy rain. The Mustangs are currently scheduled to play Thursday at 3:45 p.m. at Valley Christian before starting play in the Annie Lynch Memorial Circle of Champions Friday against North Monterey County.
