A stellar pitching performance and an opportunistic first inning
of offense Monday kept Gilroy softball’s postseason hopes
alive.
Ashley Harrington struck out four batters in a complete-game
shutout of Notre Dame, while GHS leadoff hitter Alissa Castro
scored the contest’s lone run after being hit by a pitch, moving
over to second base on an out by Stephanie Rodriguez, and advancing
the final two bags on passed balls.
GILROY – A stellar pitching performance and an opportunistic first inning of offense Monday kept Gilroy softball’s postseason hopes alive.
Ashley Harrington struck out four batters in a complete-game shutout of Notre Dame, while GHS leadoff hitter Alissa Castro scored the contest’s lone run after being hit by a pitch, moving over to second base on an out by Stephanie Rodriguez, and advancing the final two bags on passed balls.
“We gotta win three more games,” Gilroy manager Catherine Hallada said of what will be required to qualify for the Central Coast Section playoffs. “I don’t care who it is (against), but we gotta win three more.”
The Mustangs are 11-9-1 overall on the season and 4-3 in the Tri-County Athletic League. In order to be eligible for CCS, a team must have an above .500 record in or out of league play. With five games remaining, Gilroy has two contests left against San Benito – the first coming this Thursday at 4:30 p.m. due to a rainout two weeks ago – and one apiece against North Salinas, Salinas and Alisal.
Hallada credited a collective effort by the Mustangs’ defense for the victory, which Harrington agreed with.
“I was really nervous at first,” the senior pitcher said. “[Notre Dame] got some hits off of me but the defense was backing me up. They were flawless.”
After starting the league slate with a 15-0 victory over Alvarez, the Mustangs dropped three straight. The team has rebounded by winning its last three games.
“We’ve been working really hard and our practices have been paying off,” Harrington said.
“We all want to make CCS and we knew we had to win this (latest) game.”
