GILROY — Things looked bleak for the Gilroy softball team Thursday.
In the bottom of the fourth, Archbishop Mitty’s Desiree Severance had a perfect game going and the Mustangs were losing 9-0. With two outs, Lauren Castro hit an infield single to shatter the perfect game and raise her team’s spirits. Anna Gamboa followed up with another single, but was thrown out at second to end the inning. Though Gilroy (1-6) didn’t score, those hits proved to be the game’s tipping point.
From there, the Mustangs didn’t allow another run to cross the plate and Castro scattered four strikeouts across the next three innings. Gilroy went on to lose 9-2, but on a squad that features only five returners and five freshmen, two runs against the perennial powerhouse and No. 7 team in the state is a win.
“I’m definitely really proud of this team for not rolling over, not giving up,” Gilroy coach Julie Berggren said. “They kept swinging at good pitches and trying to put the ball in play. If we can not give up and not roll over, we’re going to keep doing really good things. I’m very proud with today’s fight at the end of the game.”
The Mustangs were facing being shutout in the bottom of the sixth when Nicole Green and Liezl Clark got on base with a single and on an error, respectively. Castro blasted a double to deep left field to score Green and Clark for Gilroy’s only scores of the game.
Despite her rocky start in the circle, Berggren opted to let Castro go the distance. She gave up 12 hits and two walks while striking out four. Berggren said they’ve been working with the junior pitcher on different pitch sequences and in spite of the nine runs, those new elements are working.
“They’re a really good hitting team,” Castro said. “As long as my defense has my back, then I feel better. Even though they did get hits, my defense stayed up and that’s what’s really helped me.
“Even if I don’t have confidence in myself, I know that they (the coaches) always do. I feels good that they have confidence in me.”
Gilroy’s season of growth will continue and league play will begin with a 4:30 p.m. contest with San Benito on Tuesday at home.
“They’re having fun and they’re still smiling. They want to learn,” Berggren said. “They’re sponges and they’re constantly asking really good questions.”
