By Pete Borello
Prep Softball Playoffs
Spartans fall in 10th
No. 9 Mountain View didn’t go down without a fight in its Division II opener against No. 8 Monterey.
The Spartans took Monterey to 10 innings before falling 4-3 on May 16 at Sherwood Field in Salinas.
“It was a tough way to lose,” Mountain View coach Pio Purugganan said. “We’re kind of disappointed to be out of CCS, but I’m proud of the way everyone played.”
The Spartans trailed 2-0 after the first inning, but fought back to tie the game by the fourth. Kathleen Benetua drove in Mountain View’s first run and the second came on a fielder’s choice.
The game remained 2-all until the 10th when the international tie-breaker came into play. Under this rule, the player making the last out in the previous inning starts the next inning at second base to improve a team’s chances of scoring.
The Spartans (12-14) took advantage of the tie-breaker by bunting Megan Plum to third, then getting her home on a bunt by Erin Esteban.
Monterey rallied in the bottom of the inning by scoring two runs off starter Alyssa Robbins to pull out the win.
Chargers zap Mustangs
Missed opportunities at the plate and missed fly balls in the field plagued the St. Francis High softball team in a 4-2 loss to Notre Dame-Belmont in the Central Coast Section Division II quarterfinals.
The Lancers made three errors and managed only five hits in last Saturday’s game at Hawes Field in Redwood City.
Coach Barry Ivers said St. Francis came out “fired up” and jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. But the lead could have been even larger.
“It was a matter of timely hits,” Ivers said. “We had bases loaded and could have scored two more runs with a single.”
Notre Dame rallied in the fourth to seize a 3-2 lead, getting two hits off starter Mei Sausa and then taking advantage of two dropped pop-ups in the outfield.
Sausa hit a triple in the sixth, but no one could drive her home.
In the opening round on May 16, St. Francis downed No. 10 Terra Nova 7-1 at Hawes Field.
Christie Lavery pitched a complete game, allowing only one hit and striking out seven.
St. Francis had 10 hits, three by Alex Anunciacion. Steph Grejtak drove in two runs.
Homestead had no answer for Sheila Feldman, who pitched Wilcox to a 4-0 win over the Mustangs in last Thursday’s opening round of the Division I playoffs.
The sophomore went the distance for No. 5 Wilcox, limiting No. 12 Homestead to just three hits at PAL Stadium in San Jose.
“She’s a very good pitcher,” Homestead coach John Van Pelt said of Feldman (17-9). “She’s pretty smart.”
The Mustangs trailed only 1-0 going into the sixth inning, which is when the Chargers got to pitcher Karen Purdy (4-3).
“They had back-to-back hits and then a triple to break it loose,” Van Pelt said. “They scored three runs and we couldn’t come back.”
The Mustangs threatened a few times - including the last inning when two batters reached base - but Van Pelt said a couple of running errors proved costly.
Offensively, Homestead was led by Julie Colvin, who went 2-for 4.
The Mustangs (12-8-1) graduate only one player, which makes Van Pelt optimistic about next season.
“This year, our goal was to get to CCS,” he said. “Next year, it’s to go further.”
