Ouellet's 9-hit week helps Cats win 2 of 3

By Dick Sparrer

You would think that Los Gatos baseball coaches Wayne Senini and Joe Winstead would be happy with 34 runs in one week.

And they were. But the Gatos coaches would have been even happier with 36.

The Wildcats opened the week with an exciting 14-12 victory over Monta Vista in 12 innings, and they closed the week with an 11-10 nonleague win over Pioneer.

But in between the Cats dropped a tough 10-9 nod to Monta Vista, coming up a run short when the Matadors rallied for two in the seventh to clinch the win.

It was an important victory for the Mats, who were very much in the race in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League heading into the week. But it was a tough loss for the Cats, who had their sights set at a shot at fourth place and a berth in the Central Coast Section playoffs.

Wilcox tops the De Anza Division at 11-3, with Monta Vista second at 9-4. Cupertino hangs on to third at 8-6, with Fremont fourth at 7-7. Gatos and Milpitas currently share fifth place with matching 5-8 records, and Homestead rests in the cellar at 1-22.

The Wildcats still have a shot at fourth with five league games remaining. The Cats were to battle Cupertino on Monday and will host Milpitas on May 5 and visit Fremont on May 7 in a pair of crucial 3:30 p.m. games. The Wildcats finish up the regular season the following week against Homestead and Wilcox.

Jeff Ouellet had the big day for the Cats in the 12-inning win over Monta Vista to open the week. Ouellet tripled, doubled and singled twice to drive in seven runs for the Wildcats in their 14-12 victory.

Ben Shanker also had four hits for the winners, and David Pearl ripped three singles. Mike Cook singled and doubled for the Cats.

Steve Chase came on in relief to get the mound win, his first in four this spring.

But Gatos lost 10-9 a day later to the Matadors, despite three hits by Joe Warren and two more hits and two more runs batted in for Ouellet. Shanker doubled for the Cats.

Ouellet capped a sensational week for the Wildcats with three more hits in the 11-10 win over Pioneer on Friday. Ouellet, who doubled twice in the game, finished the week with nine hits, including three doubles and a triple, to drive in 10 runs.

Frank Alioto blasted a two-run homer in the second inning, and Cook ripped a three-run homer in the fifth to help the Wildcats clinch the nonleague win over the Mustangs.

Chris Denevi had the big day for the Wildcats against Pioneer. The junior second sacker was three-for-three with a double to drive in two runs, and he also made a diving grab at second base.

The Mustangs scored in the first, but the Cats fought back with three in the second. Denevi bounced a one-out double over the fence in dead center field, and Ouellet drove him home with a two-out double to right-center. Alioto followed with a two-run homer to center, and the Cats led 3-1.

But Pioneer tied it in the top of the third on singles by Mike Wiens, Greg Haskell and Sean Hallihan, then scored four more in the fourth to take a 7-3 lead.

A one-out double to center by Kevin Sparrer got the Mustangs going before Wiens beat out an infield hit. Hallihan drove both runners home with a double, then he scored on a double hit by Brian Davis, who later scored on a wild pitch.

But Gatos answered back with four in the bottom of the fourth. Ouellet singled, and Brandon Fennema and Cook walked to load the bases. Mike Harris was hit by a pitch to push one run home, and Chase singled home another. Denevi capped the rally with a two-run single to tie the game 7-7.

A run-scoring single by Shishir Ghia and a two-run double by Haskell put the Mustangs back up 10-7, but once more Gatos answered back.

Alioto was hit by a pitch, and Fennema walked before Cook rifled a three-run homer to left center.

Cook came on in relief to put the Mustangs down one-two-three in the sixth, then Gatos broke the tie in the bottom of the inning. Singles by Mike Geddie and Denevi got the Cats started, and Shanker drove home the game-winner with a sacrifice fly to center.

Cook put down Pioneer easily in the seventh, and Gatos had the 11-10 win.

Los Gatos is now 8-11 overall this season.

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