It has been a long time since anyone mentioned the Los Gatos High School girls’ softball team and the CCS playoffs in the same breath. But in just two short years, coach Al Pezino has taken the softball program from the depths of obscurity to CCS contender.
With just three games left in the regular season, the Lady Wildcats sit with a 6-3 league record in the tough De Anza division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League, a half game behind Fremont and one game behind league-leading Wilcox.
“People are starting to take notice of us,” said Pezino, who led Saratoga to the CCS finals back in 2005. “And the good news is that we are young. We have only one senior on the team.”
With six juniors and seven sophomores on the roster, things look good for the program for years to come. The Wildcats are 14-11 overall this season.
One of those sophomores, Sarah Van Belleghem, tossed a complete-game three-hitter Tuesday to lead Los Gatos to a 1-0 victory over defending champion Monta Vista. Van Belleghem struck out 11 and walked just two in notching her ninth victory and fifth shutout of the season.
Los Gatos got the only run that it needed in the third inning when sophomore Rachel Abraham bunted her way on base, stole second and scored on a single by junior Allison Heymann. Los Gatos had just four hits in the game, the others singles by Keri Corey, Sammi Ridgway, and Casey Showalter.
Van Belleghem was also helped by some solid defense. Corey, Heymann and Molly Macierz all thwarted Monta Vista rallies with fine running catches in the outfield. And Showalter halted another threat with a diving catch of a line drive at third base.
Heymann currently leads the team with a .389 batting average, fourth highest in the De Anza League. Corey is hitting .348, and Macierz .319. Sophomore Sammi Ridgeway has two home runs, second in league, and Showalter and Heymann also have homers. Ridgeway’s 16 RBI are good for third in the league, and Heymann’s 14 RBI fourth.
Los Gatos plays again Thursday when it hosts Homestead in a key league game. A Wildcat win all but guarantees them a CCS berth as the Mustangs are in fourth place with a 4-4 league record. The top three teams in the De Anza division are guaranteed spots in the CCS tournament.
“But we would like to finish second,” said Pezino. “We play Fremont next week, and if we can beat them, we could take second place.”
It wasn’t too long ago that the team was talking about a second win, not second place.
And the Los Gatos junior varsity team went 12-0 in league last year to capture the league championship and is 8-1 this year and again in first place.
Things are definitely looking up on the Los Gatos High School softball field.
Comments (0)
Post a comment
There are no comments for this entry yet.