Photograph by Skye Dunlap
Westmont's Lisa Chapman tossed the Warriors to a 3-1 girls softball victory over Santa Teresa last week in the tough Mt. Hamilton Division of the BVAL.
Chapman tosses Westmont win
Saratoga knocks off Lynbrook in the El Camino Division
By Dick Sparrer
It took the Westmont girls softball team a while to get down to business.
Sure the Warriors already had a half dozen victories. And they had already played 13 softball games. But they finally opened up league play last week in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League, and they did it in impressive fashion with a 3-1 win over Santa Teresa.
Sophomore Lisa Chapman tossed a 4-hitter, striking out six along the way, to lead the Warriors to the win over the Saints.
Laura Phillippe doubled home a couple of runs for Westmont, and Jessica Davis also doubled in the win.
Westmont broke up a scoreless tie with a three-run rally in the fourth. The Saints picked up a run in the sixth to spoil Chapman's shutout, but that was as close as Santa Teresa would get.
Westmont stretched its season record to 7-8 for the year with the win, and a very important win it was for Jon Hennig's club since it came in league play.
The coach rates Mitty as the team to beat in the Mt. Hamilton Division this spring, but figures his Warriors to be contenders with seven varsity starters returning, including all-leaguers Chapman, and Davis and catcher Jessica Cobillas.
Sophomores Brittany Hennig, Diana Mazenko, Tiffani Thompson and Phillippe and junior Veronica Sifuentes are other top returners on a senior-less squad.
"We have a good defensive squad that will hit better with a year's varsity play under their belts," said Hennig. "And we have solid pitching."
Westmont features four experienced hurlers in Chapman, Hennig, Phillippe and junior Jessica Sisneros, a transfer from Texas.
"Westmont will give a good account of themselves with good, solid play," added the coach.
Falcons top Vikes
Saratoga nailed a clutch win the El Camino Division of the SCVAL last week with a 5-3 victory over rival Lynbrook.
Shelby Lawson tossed a 5-hitter for the win for the Falcons. Betsy Masiello and Jennifer King had two hits apiece to lead a six-hit attack for Saratoga.
Stacey Benzing and Chrissy Bailey had two hits each for Lynbrook in the loss.
The Falcons, 3-1 in the division and 6-7 for the year, had opened the week by dropping an 11-5 nonleague decision to Leland.
Masiello singled, doubled and tripled for the Falcons, and Marisa Moore doubled and singled twice. Karen Lewis added two hits.
Saratoga lost its first game in the Wilcox Tournament last weekend, falling 3-0 to Santa Teresa despite a solid pitching performance by Bonnie Craven. Masiello singled and doubled for the Falcons.
Vikings fall
Benzing blasted a home run, and Bailey had two hits, but Lynbrook lost a tough 4-1 decision to unbeaten Santa Clara later in the week. The Bruins rallied for three runs in the eighth to win it in extra innings.
The two losses last week dropped the Vikings to 3-2 in league play. Lynbrook had jumped out to a quick 3-0 start in the division. Still, Lynbrook coach Linda Nichols figures her club will be a contender in the league race.
"We hope to finish in the top three," said Nichols, whose club tied for third a year ago. She rates Homestead, Saratoga and Monta Vista as the teams to beat in the division this spring.
Senior returners Angela Locke, Bailey and Kristen Quinn are top performers for the Vikings along with sophomore returner Benzing.
Locke, a returning all-leaguer, and Benzing will share time at pitcher and shortstop for the Vikings this season. Bailey and Quinn each return to the varsity for a third year on the infield.
Lynbrook has opened league play with back-to-back victories, beating Saratoga 9-1 and Gunn 9-6.
Benzing was the winning pitcher in the league opener against the Falcons. She tossed a 2-hitter and struck out 11 in the win. Locke doubled and singled twice to drive in a couple of runs for the Vikes, and Benzing tripled.
Lynbrook broke the game open with a nine-run rally in the third.
The Vikings made it two straight with a 9-6 win over Gunn last week. Locke was the winning pitcher, and Bailey blasted a home run for the winners.
Benzing doubled and singled twice for Lynbrook, and Bailey had two hits. Alishia Underwood drove in two runs for the Vikings.
Lynbrook improved to 4-2 for the year with the win.
Miguel tourney
Lynbrook was in the field for the 15th annual Charlie Miguel Tournament, and Benzing ended up among the tournament's elite players when she was named to the all-tournament squad.
Benzing tossed a no-hitter in a 20-0 four-inning win over Notre Dame of San Jose. Locke singled and doubled to drive in four runs, and Underwood had two hits. Bailey, Julianne Cadden and Doni McCoy each doubled.
Benzing homered and singled to drive in two runs and also tossed a 3-hitter in Lynbrook's 10-3 win over Homestead. Bailey drove in two runs with a couple of hits.
Saratoga, California Since 1975
