Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Saratoga's Karen Lewis came through with a pair of hits to help the Falcons to a 9-4 win over Homestead. Earlier in the week, Lewis had two hits in a 9-6 win over Monta Vista.

Falcons nail two wins

Lawson, Craven toss Saratoga to victories

By Dick Sparrer

The league season didn't start out so well for the Saratoga girls softball team--the Falcons lost 9-1 to Lynbrook when the Vikings rallied for nine runs in the third inning.

But nine turned out to be a pretty lucky number for Saratoga last week. The Falcons put up a pair of nines to roll to victories over Monta Vista and Homestead in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

The Falcons rallied for six runs in the fourth on the road to a 9-6 win over the Matadors to open the week, then they pounded Homestead 9-4 two days later. The two wins helped the Falcons improve to 2-1 in the division, evening their record at 5-5 for the year.

Saratoga will look for a little revenge against Lynbrook this week. The Falcons host the Vikings on March 30, 3:30 p.m., before opening playing in the Wilcox Tournament on April 2.

Senior Shelby Lawson and freshman Bonnie Craven each tossed the Falcons to victories in league play last week.

Lawson whirled a 7-hitter at Monta Vista in Saratoga's 9-6 win to open the week.

The Falcons jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innins, but Monta Vista rallied for four in the top of the third. Saratoga answered back with six runs in the home half of the fourth, and that was all Lawson needed to nail down the win.

Craven doubled and singled twice to drive in four runs for Saratoga in the game. Karen Lewis singled and doubled to knock in a pair of runs, Jennifer King singled and doubled, and Ilana Sabes had two hits for Saratoga.

Craven came back with an outstanding performance in the 9-4 win over Homestead later in the week. The talented freshman tossed a 4-hitter for the win, and helped her own cause with a double and a triple.

Joanne Sprague had three hits to drive in three runs for the Falcons. Sabes doubled twice, Lewis singled and double, Amanda Wise had two hits, and Marisa Moore doubled home a pair of runs.

Miguel Tourney

Brittany Hennig of Westmont tossed a 1-hit shutout to lead the Westmont girls softball team to a 7-0 win over Homestead in the 15th annual Charlie Miguel Tournament, but the Warriors didn't finish among the tourney leaders.

Hennig, though, ended up among the tournament's elite players when she was named to the all-tournament squad.

Shannon Linerud of Presentation was selected as the tourney's most valuable player after leading the Panthers to the team title. Sara Wiedlin and Kari Burke were other Panthers picked to the all-tourney list.

Jessica Busick, who tossed Piedmont Hills into the finals against Presentation, was named the most valuable pitcher of the tournament.

Rounding out the all-tournament team were Westmont's Hennig, Kandice Lynch and Brooke Charland of Del Mar, Amy Thornhill of Pioneer, Stacey Benzing of Lynbrook, Christy Olow of Carmel, Demetra Kalogrides of Santa Teresa, Vicky Doane and Rachel Sherman of Wilcox, Amy Farrell and Jennifer Ponzo of Notre Dame-Belmont and Chandra Frazier of Santa Clara.

Hennig struck out nine and walked none in the tournament win over Homestead. Jessica Davis doubled twice to drive in a pair of runs for the Warriors, and Jessica Cobillas singled and doubled to knock in a pair.

Panthers split

The Prospect girls softball team opened play last week with a 4-2 win over Yerba Buena, but they lost a 10-5 decision to James Lick later in the week.

The Panthers are now even at 1-1 in the West Valley Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.

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