Local diamond teams open CCS

Baseball, softball teams earn berths in the playoffs

By Dick Sparrer

The spring diamond season has ended for many teams in the area. But not for softball and baseball teams from Saratoga, Lynbrook, Westmont and Prospect.

Teams from the four local schools are still in action as they prepare to open play in the Central Coast Section playoffs.

Lynbrook, Saratoga, Prospect and Westmont have each won berths in the CCS girls softball playoffs, and the Falcons, Panthers and Warriors have claimed spots in the CCS baseball tournament.

Vikes top Falcons

Lynbrook needed two wins last week to clinch the girls softball championship in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

And the Vikings got them both.

The Vikes edged Saratoga 1-0 in the battle for first place in the division, then clinched the league championship with a 6-1 win over Homestead later in the week.

Lynbrook and Saratoga entered their game with a loss apiece. A win would have given the Falcons the division championship since it was their final game of the regular season. Lynbrook had to beat Saratoga, then beat Homestead, to claim sole ownership of the crown.

And the Vikings did just that.

Stacey Benzing tossed a one-hit shutout to lead the Vikings to an eight-inning 1-0 win over Saratoga. The talented hurler struck out 13 in eight innings of work on her way to the win.

D.J. Sullivan doubled to account for one of the just two hits that Lynbrook could manage in the game.

Bonnie Craven was tagged with the tough pitching loss, despite tossing the two-hitter.

Lynbrook still had to beat Homestead later in the week, and the Vikes came through with a 6-1 win.

The Vikings, now 17-6 for the year, will enter the CCS Division I playoffs this week when they take on Hollister (18-11) on May 18, 7 p.m., at PAL Stadium. The winner will face No. 1 seed North Salinas (18-9) on May 20, 10 a.m., at Sherwood Park in Salinas.

Saratoga, 13-8 for the year, will open the CCS Division III playoffs against Hillsdale (18-8) on May 18, 5 p.m., at Hawes Park. The winner will face No. 1 seed Notre Dame-Salinas (28-6) on May 20, 2 p.m., at Sherwood Park.

The Falcons lost a 16-1 nonleague decision to St. Francis last week, a couple of days after losing to Lynbrook. Karen Lewis singled and doubled for the Falcons and Joanne Sprague had two hits. Katie Wokas slapped a double.

Warriors tie for title

The Westmont girls softball team wrapped up Mt. Hamilton Division play with a 4-1 win over Santa Teresa to tie for first place with Mitty. Each club finished at 10-4.

Westmont, 20-10 for the year, will open CCS play against Prospect (19-5) on May 18, 3 p.m., at PAL Stadium. The winner will face North Monterey County (21-8) on May 20, noon, at Sherwood Park in Salinas.

Lisa Chapman tossed a three-hitter to lead the Warriors to the 4-1 win over Santa Teresa last week. Chapman, 9-2 for the year, struck out 12 in the win.

Bonnie Huggett doubled and singled twice to drive in three of her club's four runs in the win. Jessica Parola belted a triple.

Perfect Panthers

The Prospect girls wrapped up a perfect season in the West Valley Division with two wins last week. The Panthers ended up 12-0 in league play after beating Hill and Overfelt, and will take a 19-5 season record up against Westmont this week.

Cassie Gilford tossed a one-hitter to lead the Panthers to an 11-1 win over Hill. Gilford, who pushed her pitching record to 11-4, also had two hits to drive in two runs.

Annie Gillespie and Sara Nichols each homer-ed and singled twice in the win, and Amber Madsen had three hits to knock in four runs.

Gillespie flipped a one-hitter, striking out 13 along the way, in a 13-2 win over Overfelt. Gillespie, who improved her record to 9-1 with the win, singled and tripled to drive in two runs.

Gilford had three hits to drive in two runs, Annie Kailbrier doubled and tripled to knock in two and Madsen tripled.

Falcons second

Saratoga pounded Milpitas and Fremont for 18 runs in two games last week to wrap up the season in second place in the rugged De Anza Division of the SCVAL.

The Falcons ripped the Trojans 18-2 and blanked Fremont 10-0 to finish 11-7 in the division, second to Wilcox.

Saratoga, 14-10-2 for the year, will open the CCS Division II playoffs at home against Harbor (15-12) on May 18, 3 p.m. The winner will face the Burlingame (14-11)-Soquel (26-4) winner on May 20, 10 a.m., at Santa Clara's Washington Park.

The Falcons take a winning record into the playoffs thanks to their two lopsided wins last week.

Matt Joyce doubled and singled twice to drive in an impressive six runs, and Erick Raich singled and tripled to knock home three runs in the win over Milpitas.

Adam Varteressian launched a two-run homer for the Falcons and Derek Cartmell singled and doubled. Jim Huether, Caleb Mosley and Mike Cable added two hits each in the win.

Brian Stirm tossed a five-hitter for the win in the game that ended after six innings.

The Falcons only needed six innings to dispose of Fremont 10-0 later in the week. Jason Worden flipped a five-hit shutout for the Saratoga win, evening his mound record at 4-4.

Stirm and Mike Cook each homered and singled to knock in two runs apiece. Cartmell singled and tripled and Joyce singled and doubled in the win.

Panthers win title

Prospect earned a place in the baseball playoffs after winning the championship in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.

The Panthers finished the year 14-4 to finish a game up on Silver Creek in the division. Prospect, 15-8 for the year, will open the playoffs at home against San Mateo (17-7) on May 18, 3 p.m. The winner will face the Willow Glen (19-7)-Wilcox (22-5) winner on May 20, 7 p.m., at Santa Clara's Washington Park.

Prospect finished the season with a 5-1 loss to Gunderson, despite a solo homer by Nick Vidal in the fifth inning.

Warriors advance

Westmont finished the regular season with a 7-1 win over St. Lawrence Academy, and enters the playoffs with an 11-14 record.

The Warriors will visit Gunn (19-8) on May 18, 3 p.m., in Palo Alto. The winner will face the Carlmont (15-7)-Monterey (24-6) winner on May 20, 4 p.m., at Washington Park.

Tony LaVista tossed a three-hitter to lead the Warriors to last week's win over St. Lawrence. LaVista, who struck out 11, pushed his mound mark to 7-4 with the win.

Ben Peterson singled and tripled for the Warriors

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