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Photograph by Scott Lechner
Saratoga's Shelby Lawson lets go of a pitch in last week's 4-1 victory over Los Gatos. The Falcons are off to a 2-0 start in the young girls softball season.
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Falcons are contenders for title Coach sees good things to come
By Dick Sparrer
Saratoga has never won a league championship in girls softball.
And what does first-year coach Eric Owens think about that? Never say never.
Because Owens figures he has himself a contender on the small diamond at Saratoga High, and if early season indications are corrrect, he just might be right.
The Falcons have opened the season with back-to-back victories, blanking Silver Creek 9-0 and upsetting perennial power Los Gatos 4-1.
And Owens sees that as just the beginning of good things to come.
"Our season outlook is to win our division and go to CCS," said the Saratoga coach. "And to put forth the best effort we possibly can as a team."
Talented senior returners Marisa Moore, Betsy Masiello and Shelby Lawson will lead the Falcons in that effort this spring.
Moore is the starting catcher for Saratoga, and Masiello returns to play shortstop for the Falcons. Lawson is a talented pitcher who doubles as a second sacker.
Freshmen Bonnie Craven and Ilana Saves join Lawson on the pitching staff for Saratoga. The two are also outfielders for the Falcons.
Sophomore Amanda Wise is a starter at third base, with freshman Jennifer King across the diamond at first.
Junior Karen Lewis plays second base when Lawson pitches, and she'll also see time in the outfield along with juniors Catherine Griffin and Joanne Sprague and freshman Jaime Merz.
The Falcons are coming off a rocky season in which they were 4-16 for the year and 2-10 in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League. But Owens expects his club to turn that league record around and contend with Monta Vista for the division championship.
Saratoga opened the 1999 season with a lopsided 9-0 win over Silver Creek. Craven tossed the 1-hit shutout for the Falcons, striking out seven and walking just two.
Lewis had three singles to lead a 9-hit attack, and Wise ripped a double. Junior Katie Wokas knocked home a pair of runs.
Lawson came back two days later to fire a 3-hitter in Saratoga's 4-1 win over Los Gatos.
Wise doubled and tripled to drive in three runs to lead the offensive attack for the Falcons. Moore also had two hits in the win.
Saratoga was to take its 2-0 record up against Pioneer on March 8 and will host Aptos on March 10, 3:30 p.m. The Falcons visit Mitty on March 11 at 3:30 p.m. and Leland on March 15 at 3 p.m. in a pair of nonleague games.
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Saratoga, California Since 1975
