Saratoga News

Chapman is Miguel's top pitcher

Saratoga loses in league game against Saints

By Dick Sparrer

Westmont needed a boost.

The Warriors were off to a dismal start in the 1998 girls' softball season, winning just six of their first 13 games.

But faster than you can say Lisa Chapman, the Warriors turned their season around.

Chapman, a freshman pitcher for Westmont, won five straight games in a weekend, and the Warriors won six games in all as they turned their season record from 6-7 to 12-7 almost overnight.

Westmont fought through the loser's bracket of the Charlie Miguel Tournament at Mission College with six straight victories to move into the finals against winner's bracket champ Santa Teresa.

"That gave us a real boost," said Westmont coach Todd Lafferty of the string of wins. And Chapman was responsible for much of the Warriors' success.

Her five victories helped Westmont into last Saturday's title game against Santa Teresa. The Warriors dropped a tough 4-2 nod to the Saints in the finals, but that didn't keep Chapman from raking in post-tournament honors.

Chapman was named the most valuable pitcher in the tournament after helping the Warriors reach the title game.

Laura Nunez was tagged the most valuable player of the tournament after leading Santa Teresa to the team championship in the event that lasted some three weeks due to inclement weather.

Rounding out the all-tournament team were Brooke Charland of Del Mar, Sheila Hess of Fremont, Shawnti Bortoli of Homestead, Nancy Mills of Los Gatos, Angela Locke of Lynbrook, Jenny Reyda of Monta Vista, Mariah Fike of Mountain View, Jessica Busick of Piedmont Hills, Lindy Tintelnot of Santa Teresa, Shelley Bruno of Valley Christian, Jessica Cobillas of Westmont, Vicky Doane of Wilcox and Niki Garcia of Willow Glen.

Santa Teresa won five straight games to finish along in the winner's bracket. The Saints beat Gunderson, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Piedmont Hills and Fremont, but then lost to Chapman and the Warriors in the first championship game to force the tournament's "if necesssary" game.

Freshmen Lauren Lueder and Jessica Davis slapped two hits apiece in the title game, but the Warriors ended up losing a tough 4-2 to settle for second place.

But along the way, Westmont had eliminated Mt. Pleasant (3-0), Monta Vista (5-1), host Pioneer (4-3), Del Mar (5-4), Piedmont Hills (4-3), Wilcox (6-4) and Fremont.

"We had a lot of close games," said Lafferty. "But they really put everything together. They're all young kids, but they can all play."

Chapman had a couple of hits to drive in two runs and also tossed the shutout in the win over Mt. Pleasant.

Laura Phillippe, who along with Chapman is one of the eight freshmen on the Westmont club, was the winning pitcher against Monta Vista and sophomores Cobillas and Veronica Sifuentez led the offensive attack. Cobillas and Sifuentez are two of just four sophomores that round out the squad.

Chapman doubled and picked up the mound win against host Pioneer. Diana Mazenko and David each had two hits.

Chapman pitched the win, and Mazenko drove in a couple of runs against Del Mar. Chapman won another one, and Sifuentez doubled against Piedmont Hills.

Chapman tossed the Warriors to wins over Wilcox and Fremont to complete their trip through the loser's bracket, then Westmont beat Santa Teresa to force the final game for the title.

Westmont returned to league play last week, but ran into unbeaten Mitty and lost a 7-1 nod in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.

In other local action, Saratoga lost 5-3 to Lynbrook in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

Marissa Moore belted two hits and Sarah Jacobson cracked a double, but the Falcons came up a couple of runs short against the Vikings.

Shelby Lawson tossed a six-hitter at the Vikes, and Saratoga outhit Lynbrook 7-6 in the game. But the Vikings rallied for two runs in the third to take a 3-2 lead, then added two more in the fourth.

Saratoga had jumped on top 2-0 in the first inning. Lynbrook got a run back in the home half of the frame, then took the lead in the third.

The Falcons were trailing 5-2 heading into the seventh when they started a rally. They scored a run, but that's all they could manage and they ended up falling 5-3.

The Falcons are now 0-2 in the El Camino Division.

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