Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Los Gatos slugger Gillian Wadas (left) is congratulated by teammate Iming Lin after blasting a home run in the first round of the CCS playoffs. Wadas' homer helped the Cats to a 10-0 win over South San Francisco, but Gatos lost 5-0 to Mitty a game later.

Great year ends for Cats

Los Gatos, Leigh fall in playoffs

By Dick Sparrer

A shutout is a great way to win a softball game. But it's also a tough way to lose.

And the Los Gatos girls' softball team experienced both feelings last week in the Central Coast Section Division II playoffs.

Gatos opened the CCS playoffs with a rousing 10-0 win over South San Francisco. But the Wildcats lost 5-0 to Mitty last weekend to see their season come to an abrupt finish.

It was a tough end to a solid season for the Cats. Los Gatos posted a 20-7 record, including an 11-3 mark good for second in the rugged De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

And the Cats were hanging right with the Monarchs through five innings before Mitty unloaded for five runs in the home half of the sixth in the CCS quarterfinal game.

Nancy Mills blanked the Monarchs for five innings, and the clubs were locked in a scoreless tie. But Mitty scored five in the sixth, then blanked Gatos in the seventh to clinch the win.

Mills went the distance in the loss, fanning five and walking just one. She finished the year with a 15-5 pitching record.

Wadas singled and doubled and Jessica Enright ripped a double to lead a five-hit attack for Los Gatos.

Mills had nailed her 15th win with a two-hit shutout against South San Francisco in the CCS opener. The Gatos hurler struck out 10 in that one.

Julie Fomenko belted four hits and Gillian Wadas crushed a home run to lead Los Gatos offensively in the win.

Fomenko doubled, tripled and singled twice. She also knocked in a pair of runs. Chelsea Hayes singled and tripled for the Wildcats and Courtney Radonich had two hits. Wadas blasted the solo homer.

The Cats rallied for three runs in the second, and that would prove all Mills needed to nail down the win. But the Wildcats came back with four in the fourth, then ended the game prematurely with two in the sixth to win on the 10-run rule.

In CCS Division I play, Leigh lost its opener 5-4 to Milpitas. The Longhorns wrapped up the year with a 16-12 record.

Junior hurler Kim Rose was stuck with the pitching loss, despite tossing an eight-hitter. Rose finished the year with a 15-11 mound mark.

Rose led the offense with a triple and two singles for Leigh. Cora-Lee Rogers singled and doubled to drive in two runs, and Carly Brotherton had two hits.

In CCS baseball action, both Leigh and Los Gatos lost last week.

The Longhorns opened the CCS Division I playoffs with a 5-2 win over St. Francis, but Leigh lost 7-1 to Live Oak a few days later to face elimination. The 'Horns finished the year with a 19-11 record.

David Sanfilippo homered and singled and Jeremy Roulin and Josh Kreuzer each doubled to lead Leigh to the 5-2 win over St. Francis. Kyle Padia knocked in two runs in the win.

Los Gatos lost 10-0 to Burlingame in five innings in its playoff opener. Gatos could manage just three hits in the game, one a double by Jeff Ouellet.

The Wildcats finished the season with an 11-15 record. It marked the final game for Gatos seniors John Stengele, Nick Van Biene, Charlie Cucco, Tom Barrera, Ryan Boys, Matt Alvarado and Mike Freeman.

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