The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Fremont's Sheila Hess tossed the Firebirds to a pair of wins last week. The 'Birds are now 5-1 in division play, just a game behind division-leading Milpitas.

Hess tosses 'Birds to wins

Hall helps Homestead to win over Fremont

By Dick Sparrer

Fremont needed to win.

The Firebirds trail only Milpitas in the girls' softball standings in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League. And they needed to win last week if they had any hopes of keeping pace with the Trojans.

They did win--thanks in no small part to the pitching of Sheila Hess and the timely hitting of Lani Castro.

Hess tossed the Firebirds to back-to-back wins over Saratoga and Gunn, and Castro flexed her muscles a bit to lead the offensive attack as Fremont improved to 5-1 in division play.

Milpitas still leads the pack with a 6-0 mark, but the Lady Birds stayed within a game of the leader with the two wins last week.

Hess whirled a five-hitter, and Castro blasted a home run in Fremont's 7-1 win over Gunn.

Hess was touched for a single run in the second as Fremont fell behind 1-0 early. But the right-hander blanked the Titans the rest of the way, and Fremont grabbed the lead with two runs in the fifth. The Firebirds unloaded for five more runs in the sixth to take control of the game.

Kristie Larkin belted two hits to lead a six-hit offensive attack for Fremont.

Hess had opened the week by tossing a seven-hitter in a 6-3 win over Saratoga. Hess gave up single runs in the second, sixth and seventh, but Fremont came through with two runs each in the first, second and fourth.

Castro and Kristina Hays each singled and doubled in the win for the Firebirds, and Hess ripped a two-base hit. Robin Glass had two hits to knock in four runs for the winners, and Larkin had a pair of singles.

Fremont is now 12-7 for the year.

In other local softball action, Homestead lost 6-2 to Los Gatos in the De Anza Division of the SCVAL. Shawnti Bortoli cracked a pair of hits in the loss, and Natalie Corral was tagged with the pitching loss despite flipping a six-hitter.

The Mustangs were blanked 9-0 by unbeaten St. Francis later in the week to slip to 0-7 in division play. Bortoli doubled in the loss for Homestead.

The King's Academy, meanwhile, rolled to a pair of lopsided wins to improve to 4-0 in the Christian Private Schools League.

Freshman pitcher Kathryn Neufeld whirled four no-hit innings, fanning 11 and walking just one, to lead the Knights to a rousing 33-0 win over St. Lawrence Academy. Neufeld, who is now 12-1 as a pitcher, helped her cause at the plate with a single and a triple to drive in four runs.

Megan Blind had five hits, including a pair of doubles, to drive in five runs for the winners, and Adrienne Cole had six hits, including a double, to knock in three. Hawley Menser drove in four runs with three hits, Rebakah Atwell doubled and singled twice to drive in four, Heather Garrell singled and doubled, Janna Schroy had two hits and Kirsten Corstophine doubled.

The Knights, now 15-3 this spring, pounded Liberty Baptist 13-7 to finish the week. Schroy was the winning pitcher for King's, and Atwell had three hits to drive in two runs.

Michelle Brown and Menser each singled and doubled to knock in two runs apiece, and Cecily Gordon singled and tripled to drive in two. Cole clubbed a triple, and Katie Shockey doubled.

Baseball

Aaron Hall roped three doubles to drive in three runs, and Andy Myers singled and tripled to lead the Homestead baseball team to a 6-5 upset win over Fremont in the De Anza Division of the SCVAL.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, April 29, 1998.
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