Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Senior softball star Melanie Barker looks for the call, but it didn't go her way in last week's game against Fremont. Barker was out on the force play, and the Wildcats lost 5-2 to the Firebirds.

Diamonds prove unfriendly

Los Gatos, Leigh lose two each

By Dick Sparrer

Diamonds may be a girls' best friend--but that wasn't the case for the girls' softball teams at Los Gatos and Leigh high schools last week.

The diamonds were too friendly for either team last week as both the Wildcats and Longhorns dropped a pair of games in league action.

Los Gatos lost a couple of heartbreakers, falling 5-2 to Fremont and 1-0 to Wilcox, and Leigh lost 7-3 to Oak Grove and 4-2 to Leland.

The two losses dropped Gatos to 4-3 in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League. The Cats are 12-6 for the year.

Los Gatos and Fremont were locked 2-2 heading into the final inning of their game to open the week. But the Firebirds rallied for three runs in the seventh to break the tie and clinch the 5-2 win.

Gatos had scored a couple of runs in the first to take an early 2-0 lead. Fremont tied it with two in the fourth, then won it with three in the seventh.

Gilliam Wadas doubled to lead a five-hit attack for the Cats in the loss.

Senior outfielder Melanie Barker came back with three hits, but that was all Los Gatos could manage in 1-0 loss to Wilcox.

Barker doubled and singled twice to account for all three of the Los Gatos hits in the loss.

Gatos starter Chiara Grabill was stuck with the tough pitching loss in the game. She was touched for just a single run in the second inning, but that proved the difference in the game. Grabill's season record is now 6-3.

It was a similar week for the Longhorns.

Leigh locked up in a 3-3 tie with Oak Grove through nine innings, but the Eagles broke the game open with four in the 10th to win 7-3 in extra innings.

The Longhorns actually led 3-2 after two innings, but Oak Grove tied it with a run in the fifth. The clubs matched zeroes through the next four innings until the Eagles broke through in the 10th.

Dani Juarez and Kim Rose had two hits apiece to lead the five-hit attack for Leigh.

Leigh battled Leland later in the week before losing 4-2 to the Chargers. Dani Crowley and Cora-Lee Rogers ripped two hits each for the Longhorns.

Leland jumped on Leigh for two runs in the first, but the 'Horns tied it with two runs in the third. It didn't remain tied for long, though. Leland picked up two runs in the fourth to take the lead for good.

Leigh slipped to 3-4 in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League with the losses to the division co-leaders. Oak Grove and Leland wrapped up the week with matching 6-1 records in division play.

Both Gatos and Leigh will try to get back on the winning track this week.

The Cats will host Mountain View on April 30 and Los Altos on May 2 in a pair of 4 p.m. games, and Leigh entertains Presentation April 30 at 3:30 p.m.

Split for Cats

The Los Gatos baseball team, meanwhile, split a pair of games last week, edging Milpitas 2-1 before losing to first-place Wilcox 14-9.

Court Showerman tossed the Cats to the win over the Trojans early in the week. He also ripped a double to lead a three-hit offensive attack for Gatos.

Showerman was touched for a run in the first, but blanked the Trojans through the rest of his stint. The win pushed his season mound record to 3-1.

The Cats got the run back with one of their own in the third, then they broke the 1-1 tie with a run in the fifth.

The Wildcats slipped to 4-8 in the De Anza Division later in the week after dropping the 14-9 nod to the Chargers. The Cats are 6-11-1 for the year.

Luke Alvarado doubled and singled twice, and Stephan Ballentine ripped three hits to lead a 14-hit assault for the Cats. Showerman singled and doubled to knock in two runs.

It was a 10-run Wilcox rally in the third that made the difference.

Los Gatos will try to get back on the winning track this week. The Cats will host Monta Vista on April 30 before visiting Palo Alto on May 2. Both games begin at 3:30 p.m.

Leigh drops 2 of 3

Leigh, meanwhile, lost two of three games last week.

The Longhorns wrapped up the week with a 4-3 win over Piedmont Hills. Kyle Padia doubled and singled twice, and Will St. Clair singled and doubled to lead the way for Leigh.

Jason Guzman and Rick Reimer had two hits apiece for Leigh, and Greg Garrison went the distance to scatter nine hits for the pitching win. His record is now 2-1 for Leigh.

Leigh, 3-10 in the Mt. Hamilton Division and 7-15 for the year, lost 5-0 to Oak Grove to open the week, then fell 2-1 to the Eagles two days later.

Padia singled and doubled and Ken Fowler had two hits in the 2-1 loss to Oak Grove. Jeremy Kreuzer doubled in the loss.

Oak Grove scored a run in the first, but Leigh matched it in the second. The Eagles came back with another run in the third to break the tie and blanked Leigh the rest of the way.

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