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Tough El Camino softball race
Lynbrook jumps out to hot start
By DICK SPARRER
It's tough to pick a favorite in the girls softball race in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League this spring.
Some coaches were picking Homestead, but then the Mustangs lost to Monta Vista.
Some coaches were picking the Matadors, but then they lost to Saratoga.
Some coaches were picking the Falcons, but then they lost to Lynbrook.
And how about the Vikings? Well, no one picked them as the title favorites, but they're off to a quick start in the league race.
The way things are shaping up, it could be a wide-open battle for the championship in the El Camino Division this spring, with any number of clubs capable of contending for the crown.
Santa Clara and Lynbrook are the clubs off to the quick starts in division play. The Bruins are 3-0 in the early stages of the league campaign, and the Vikings are 2-0.
Saratoga and Monta Vista are very much in the race with 2-1 records, and Homestead is close behind at 1-2.
"We hope to finish in the top three," said veteran Lynbrook coach Linda Nichols, whose club tied for third a year ago. But she rates Homestead, Saratoga and Monta Vista as the teams to beat in the division this spring.
"I believe we'll have a strong season," said Homestead boss Matt Trosper. "We have a young team, but we have a lot of experience and we should compete for the league title."
Heading up Homestead's hopes for a strong season is senior sensation Natalie Corral, who is back for her fourth year as a varsity pitcher for the Mustangs.
Senior third sacker Julie Speckels is another four-year starter back on the diamond for the Mustangs, and junior catcher Shawnti Bortoli is behind the plate for the third straight year after winning all-league honors last year.
Sophomore Ashley Suth joins the varsity after an all-league junior varsity season last year. Suth plays first base and will pitch for the Mustangs.
Shortstop Danielle Bailey and outfielder Brandi Tomasovitch are a couple of talented freshmen expected to help the Mustangs this spring.
Trosper, in his first year as the varsity coach at Homestead after two seasons as the JV coach, expects his Mustangs to contend for the division title. And Lynbrook's Nichols wouldn't disagree--but don't ever count out her Vikings.
Senior returners Angela Locke, Chrissy Bailey and Kristen Quinn are top performers for the Vikings along with sophomore returner Stacey Benzing.
Locke, a returning all- leaguer, and Benzing will share time at pitcher and shortstop for the Vikings this season. Bailey and Quinn both 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 two-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.
Monta Vista is close behind Lynbrook in the league standings with a 2-1 record. The Matadors opened the season with a 7-3 win over Homestead before falling 9-6 to Saratoga. The Mats came back to beat Gunn 10-2 late last week.
Kim Stocklmeir and Sarah Clewett slapped two hits apiece and Nikki Butler tossed a no-hitter to lead the Matadors to the 10-2 win over the Titans.
The Mats, 6-6 for the year, had lost 9-6 to the Falcons to open the week. Erin McNulty singled and doubled and Danielle Katz at two hits for Monta Vista. Stocklmeir knocked in a pair of runs.
Homestead started last week off right with a 2-0 win over Fremont. Corral flipped a five-hit shutout, and the Mustangs picked up two runs in the third for the win.
Bortoli had two hits and Suth doubled in the game for Homestead.
But the Mustangs lost 9-4 to Saratoga later in the week to slip to 1-2 in league play and to 4-6 for the year.
Speckels tripled and knocked in three runs for the Mustangs, and Amelia Alexander doubled.
Miguel tourney
Lynbrook, Cupertino and Homestead were all in the field for the 15th annual Charlie Miguel Tournament, but none of the local clubs were among the tourney leaders.
Lynbrook's Benzing did end up among the tournament's elite players, though, when she was named to the all-tournament squad.
Cupertino put together three straight wins at one point in the tournament before falling out of the competition.
The Pioneers blasted South San Francisco 12-3, with Jamie Bergantz and Coirrine Adkins each ripping home runs.
Bergantz singled, tripled and homered to drive in five runs for the Pioneers, and Adkins singled and homered to knock home three. Katlyn Moran and Erica Boss had two hits apiece for the Pioneers.
Anne Saso tossed a six-hitter to pick up the win.
Saso fired a two-hitter in Cupertino's 8-1 win over Notre Dame-San Jose. Gina Scarpelli provided the power with a single and a home run to drive in three runs. Boss singled and doubled, and Moran had two hits for the winners.
Scarpelli homered and singled twice to drive in two runs in a 4-3 win over Pioneer to open the tournament. Moran had two hits and Saso flipped a six-hitter.
Pioneers fall
The Cupertino girls lost their opener in the De Anza Division of the SCVAL last week, falling 4-3 to Milpitas. Moran doubled home a pair of runs in a three-run third for the Pioneers.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
