Warriors making a run for Mt. Hamilton title

By Dick Sparrer

Play is rather competitive for softball teams in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.

And Westmont softball coach Jon Hennig is looking for his Warriors to be rather competitive themselves as they chase a division pennant this spring.

"We look to be very competitive in the division," said Hennig, who returns for his fourth season as the head man in the Westmont program. "This year our pitching is young, but we have excellent returning offensive and defensive players."

Three comeback all-leaguers top that list, including seniors Jennifer Brown and Bonnie Huggett and junior Katherine Bamford.

Brown and Huggett both return for a fourth varsity season this spring. Brown will move from second base to shortstop and Huggett returns to her post at third base. They'll join with first sacker Bamford to make up three-fourths of Westmont's solid infield.

Michelle Salmiery is a junior returning for her third year as the starting catcher for the Warriors.

"We have three returning all-league players who will lead us," said Hennig of Brown, Huggett and Bamford. "We're strong at catcher, third base, shortstop and first base."

Westmont also boasts experience in the outfield with senior Jessica Parola heading up the cast. Parola is back for her fourth season as the center fielder for the Warriors.

Junior Victoria Alexander is back for her third varsity season in right field and junior Kyle Soden in a varsity returner in left field.

Sophomore pitcher Danielle Chapman is back for her second season at Westmont. She started in center field when she wasn't pitching last year.

Newcomers expected to help the Warriors this spring include sophomore middle infielder Michelle Desmet and junior outfielders Jennifer Quinn and Shelby Chapman, all up from the junior varsity. Freshmen Allyson Carrothers, Breanna Kuhny and Lisa Parola are other top prospects. Carrothers and Kuhny are both pitchers and L. Parola will start at second base.

The Warriors, 7-4 this year and 1-0 in the division, are coming off of a 20-10 season and have been to the Central Coast Section semifinals in each of the last two seasons.

Hennig picks Mitty and Presentation as the teams to beat in the division this year, but rates his own club as a title contender and figures the Warriors for a top three finish.

Westmont beat one of those teams last week with a tight 3-2 win over Presentation.

Kuhny tossed a 5-hitter to pick up her first varsity win. Brown, Salmiery and D. Chapman ripped two hits each for the Warriors and Salmiery knocked in two runs.

Westmont takes on another league powerhouse this week. The Warriors visited Mitty on March 26, 3:30 p.m., and will head to Oak Grove on March 28, 3:30 p.m.

Prospect, meanwhile, lost a tough Santa Teresa Division decision, falling 3-2 to Valley Christian in 10 innings.

Senior Cassie Gilford was tagged with the tough pitching loss when Valley scored a run in the 10th to end the marathon.

Prospect had scored two runs in the first to take the early lead, but Valley tied it with two in the fifth, then won it with the run in the 10th.

Junior Stephanie Nichols doubled to account for one of Prospect's three hits in the game.

The Panthers, 1-1 in the division and 3-3 for the year, visited Independence on March 26 and will host Pioneer on March 28 for a couple of 3:30 p.m. games.

Over in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League, Tracy Motzny whirled a no-hitter to lead Lynbrook to a 3-0 win over Gunn, then came back to throw an eight-inning 3-hitter to lift the Vikings to a 3-1 win over Saratoga.

Motzny opened the week by blanking the Titans on no hits. She also led the bat attack with a single and triple. Julianne Cadden also had two hits in the win.

The Vikings ran their record to 2-0 in the El Camino Division and pushed their season mark to 6-21 with the extra inning win over the Falcons. Motzny struck out 15 as she ran her pitching record to 6-1.

Jill Nixon singled and doubled to knock in two runs. It was her two-run double in the eighth that gave Lynbrook the lead, then Motzny struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth.

Brandi Oakes threw an outstanding game for the Falcons in the losing effort. She blanked the Vikings over the first five frames and took a 2-hitter into the eighth inning.

Saratoga had scored a run in the fourth to take a 1-0 lead, but Lynbrook tied it with a run in the sixth, then won it with the two in the eighth.

Saratoga, 1-1 in the division and 6-4 for the year, had opened the week with an 8-6 non-league win over Santa Clara. Oakes flipped a 6-hitter for Saratoga, evening her record at 2-2 at the time.

Oakes and Jennifer King led a six-hit attack for the Falcons with two hits apiece. Oakes singled and tripled for Saratoga.

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