For the Mustangs and the Matadors, both resuming play this week two games out of first place with five to play, underclassmen provide the leadership. Most of their key players are sophomores or juniors. In fact, the Mustangs have just four seniors and the Mustangs only two.

Both teams' top pitchers are sophomores, Jessica Iwasaki for Monta Vista and Melanie Gularte for Homestead. When the teams met in the Mission City Invitational on April 10, Iwasaki pitched a three-hitter and struck out eight Mustangs to lead a 6-1 win. It was the type of pitching effort that coach Sheri Spackman and the Matadors have learned to expect.

Iwasaki has recorded several shutouts, including a perfect game against Gunn in the second game of the season on March 4. In two of the Matadors' division losses, 1-0 to Mountain View in 11 innings and 2-0 to Los Gatos in eight innings, Iwasaki actually threw 17 shutout innings.

When Iwasaki isn't striking out opponents, she is getting solid support from her infielders, senior second baseman Jamie Sibilia, junior shortstop Sarah Taylor, junior third baseman Danni Brown and sophomore first baseman Katie Camilleri.

Other team members are senior Sarah Chamberlain, juniors Shauna Shepard, Elizabeth Valdez and Katherine Yee, sophomores Jennifer Sparks, Britney Sanford and Amanda Cagan and freshman Anneliese Fetterman.

The Matadors entered its game on April 28 at Mountain View with a 4-3 record in the De Anza Division and a 15-7 overall mark. They host Wilcox on April 30. The Mustangs take a 5-2 El Camino mark and 10-10 overall slate into their April 29 game with division rival Cupertino.

Homestead's Gularte also pitched a gem against Gunn, striking out nine in a five-inning no-hitter on April 13. The Mustangs also put on quite an offensive display in the 11-1 win over the Titans.

Although they benefited from four Gunn errors, the Mustangs helped themselves with 11 hits. Sophomore catcher Jessica Allemandi had two hits, including her team-leading fourth home run. Senior first baseman Allison MacKay singled twice, scored twice and drove in a run. Freshman third baseman Lauren Gniadek ripped a solo home, her third four-bagger of the season.

Senior outfielder Kristel Colvin and junior second baseman Tegra Lillie both had two RBIs for the Mustangs, who blew the game open with six runs in the second inning.

Homestead's biggest win of the season may have been against Saratoga on April 8. Although they struck out 16 times and connected for only two hits against Saratoga's excellent pitcher, Nikki Franchi, the Mustangs scored a 1-0 decision.

Gniadek singled home Allemandi, who had followed a lead-off walk with a steal of second. Gularte allowed Saratoga just one hit. She struck out five batters.

Perhaps the toughest loss for Mike McKinley's Mustangs was against El Camino leader Fremont on April 6. Fremont, which resumes El Camino play with a 7-0 mark, scored three runs in the top of the first against Homestead and held on for a 3-2 win.

The Mustangs outhit the Firebirds 9-5, but helped out the Firebirds with three errors. Gniadek drove in both Homestead runs, one on a solo homer.

Junior center fielder Stephanie Kruckenberg, who had 15 hits and a .326 batting average despite missing six games, had two hits against Fremont. Lillie and Colvin had two hits apiece for the Mustangs, who are looking toward a rematch with Fremont on May 11.

Allemandi and sophomore shortstop Courtney Gosnell have been the biggest offensive producers for the Mustangs during the first 20 games.

Allemandi has amassed a Bondsian slugging percentage of .700 while posting team highs in homers and triples (three), runs (14) and RBIs (20). She had banged out 23 hits for a batting average of .383. Meanwhile Gosnell had team highs in hits (26) and batting average (.400).

Seniors Lydia Hug and Katie Broadbent, junior Jillian McLaughlin, and sophomores Rachel Nishimoto, Bre Gildea and Stephanie Edwards also have contributed to Homestead's efforts this season.

Fremont is looking to stay undefeated in El Camino play, as it goes on the road to tangle with Saratoga on April 27 and Santa Clara two days later.

Kings on a roll

The Kings Academy softball team has been rolling along, posting a 12-4 record including recent league wins over St. Lawrence (17-1) and Pinewood (13-2) and a non-league victory over Santa Cruz (8-0) in the Watsonville Tournament.

The Knights had a five-game win streak going, but Mt. Pleasant ended that on April 24 with an 8-0 shutout in the Watsonville tourney.

Sophomore Rebecca Schulenberg has done most of the pitching for Kings, with freshman Emily Henderson providing some occasional relief.

Most of the offensive punch has been provided by Henderson, sophomores Sam Mix, Lisa Walker and Cherol Tomer, junior Kim Henderson and senior Dannielle Svozil.

Barkley wins in Top 8

Senior Matthew Barkley of Fremont heaved the shot put 59-8 to easily win the varsity competition at the CCS Top 8 Classic on April 23 at Los Gatos High.

Fremont's Kelly Bushnell was sixth in the girls discus with a toss of 113-10 and teammate Kim Culclager placed sixth in the 100 meters in 12.91 and seventh in the 200 in 26.87.

Mary Majchrowicz of The King's Academy was eighth in the girls 400 (60.58) and 10th in the 200. J.T. Martin of King's placed fifth in his 400 heat with a time of 53.21.

Witkovski lifts Knights

Senior catcher Larry Witkovski rapped out three hits, including two doubles, and drove in two runs, sparking The King's Academy to a 4-2 triumph over league foe Redwood Christian on April 21.

The win improved the Knights' Private Schools Athletic League record to 6-1, just behind first-place Sacred Heart Prep of Atherton.

Andrew Biederman and Matt Gustafson also had run-scoring hits for the Knights, who raised their overall mark to 13-5. Jason Linn pitched 6 1/3 innings to get the mound decision. Biederman came in to close down Redwood in the seventh and earn a save.