Sophomore Sam Parraz threw a three-hit shutout to help push
Gilroy softball past evergreen Valley 3-0 in the first round of the
Central Coast Section playoffs Wednesday at Salinas Sports
Complex.
Striking out five in seven innings of work, Mustangs coach
Catherine Hallada called Parraz’s performance the best of the young
pitcher’s career.
SALINAS – Sophomore Sam Parraz threw a three-hit shutout to help push Gilroy softball past evergreen Valley 3-0 in the first round of the Central Coast Section playoffs Wednesday at Salinas Sports Complex.
Striking out five in seven innings of work, Mustangs coach Catherine Hallada called Parraz’s performance the best of the young pitcher’s career.
“To have a shutout in CCS says a lot. She’s a strong pitcher,” Hallada said. “I gotta give our catcher, Mel Morelos, a lot of credit. Sam was hitting the spots.”
Parraz was aided by a triple in the third inning by Alissa Castro which morphed into an inside-the-park home run after Evergreen bobbled the relay. The Mustangs were able to break the game open in the sixth when Jasmine Perez and Sarah Lira hit back-to-back home runs.
Now facing No. 1 seed Carlmont – a team No. 8 Gilroy lost to in two close games earlier this season – in the quarterfinals, the Mustangs are hoping momentum can carry them back to consecutive CCS championship games.
“I think the girls realized what’s happened in the past doesn’t matter anymore,” Hallada said. “CCS is a whole new ballgame. You get a fresh start and your past doesn’t matter. All you gotta do is go one step at a time.”
Gilroy will be back on the diamond Saturday at 10 a.m. at Hawes Field in Redwood City.
