Saratoga News

The Los Gatos-Saratoga Magic under-14 girls' softball team won a qualifying tournament in Gilroy to clinch a spot in the Pacific Coast Regionals in August. Members of the team include (front row, l-r) Kim Pugh and Bonnie Craven; (second row, l-r) Stephanie Rogan, Ilana Sabes, Tiffany Baiardo, Ashley Jorgenson and Amanda Palasky; (third row, l-r) Marissa Galt, Jennifer King, Virginia Fritsch, Tara Hodge and Casie Piper; and (back row, l-r) coaches Chuck Sabes, Russ Pugh, Rob Piper, Steve Palasky and Frank Fritsch.

Magic wins Pacific Coast Regional berth

By Dick Sparrer

There is only one spot in each age group at the ASA Pacific Coast Regional girls' softball tournament for a team from the Santa Clara valley.

And the Magic wanted that spot in the 14-and-under division.

So the girls from the Los Gatos-Saratoga Girls' Softball Association had their work cut out for them when they entered the county tournament in Gilroy. And they did their work well.

The Magic blasted the East Valley Twisters 12-3 and edged the South Valley Quicksilver 7-6 before whipping the Quicksilver 15-5 in the championship game to clinch the spot in in the Pacific Coast Regionals.

The two wins over the Quicksilver were the key victories for the Magic. The locals scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh with two outs to pull out the thrilling 7-6 come-from-behind win, then came back with 11 runs in the third on the way to the rout in the final game.

The top girls' fastpitch softball teams from the eight western states (California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, Colorado, Arizona and Nevada) compete in the Pacific Coast Regionals.

The Magic knew it had a good chance of clinching the berth after a championship effort in an eight-team tournament in San Mateo earlier in the month. Tiffany Baiardo tossed a shutout to lead the Magic to a 7-0 win over Pleasanton in the tourney title game.

Bonnie Craven had blanked Livermore 4-0 in the semifinals after Baiardo and Ashley Jorgenson teamed up to whitewash San Mateo 7-0.

Craven had tossed a no-hitter in a 4-0 win over San Mateo in pool play. Marissa Galt picked up a win in a 7-1 victory over Gilroy.

The Magic's only loss was a 5-4 setback at the hands of Pleasanton in pool play, but the locals got a little revenge in the title game.

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