Gavilan loses starting pitcher, focus in eight-run first inning;
Rams remain in second place in Coast Conference South
GILROY
Right from the start, nothing seemed to go Gavilan’s way.
After starter Melinda Ortiz hurt her back just three batters into the game, the host Rams then committed three errors in the first inning – five total in the game – as San Jose City College easily defeated Gavilan softball 10-0 in a shortened five-inning affair on Wednesday.
Ortiz threw just 2/3 of an inning, allowing two hits, before teammate Danielle Payne came in relief. Payne pitched the remainder of the contest, allowing 10 runs on five hits, with just one of those runs earned.
“Once Melinda came out of the game, I think we kind of lost our focus and that really hurt us,” Gavilan manager Nikki Dequin said. “We weren’t able to recover.”
San Jose City College, which actually lost to Gavilan 1-0 earlier this season (San Jose City College was awarded the win following a Gavilan forfeit), plated eight runs in the first inning before tacking on two more in the fifth to enforce the 10-run rule.
“Danielle actually pitched a great game for us,” Dequin said.
“Danielle was doing a good job, but defensively for that one inning, we couldn’t back her up.”
Dequin added that Payne’s performance did give her more confidence in the reliever as the Rams wind down the regular season with an eye toward the playoffs.
Gavilan, which was coming off a 3-0 victory against Hartnell College on Tuesday, is now 8-4 in the Coast Conference South, 12-22 overall.
The Rams currently hold one of the two automatic qualifying spots toward the postseason, and have just three games remaining on their schedule.
Gavilan will host a non-league game against Foothill College next Tuesday at 3 p.m., before returning to conference play next Thursday at Hartnell College.
SAN JOSE 800 02X X – 10 7 1
GAVILAN 000 00X X – 0 2 5
