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Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Safe: Willow Glen's Mike DeBono is safe at first on this play in Thursday's 8-1 win over Pioneer.
Rams open with two wins
Hobbs, Durkin each toss two-hitters
By Dick Sparrer
Gary Rose figured that it would be the one-two pitching punch of Bobby Hobbs and Matt Durkin that would lead his Willow Glen Rams through the baseball race in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League this year.
And in the first week of the league season, that was certainly the case.
Hobbs tossed a two-hitter at Mount Pleasant to open the week, and Durkin matched that effort with a two-hitter against Pioneer on Thursday.
The result was two wins to open the Santa Teresa campaign.
Hobbs gave up just two hits and struck out eight to lead the Rams to a 7-2 win over the Cardinals.
Mike DeBono was the offensive star for Willow Glen with a double and a home run to drive in two runs in the win. Daniel Rice ripped three hits for the Rams, Luis Pacheco singled twice and Durkin, Hobbs and Jared Jeffrey each doubled.
Mount Pleasant scored single runs in the second and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead in the game, but Willow Glen broke things open with five runs in the bottom of the fourth, then added two insurance runs in the fifth.
Durkin struck out 10 and allowed just a pair of singles in an 8-1 win over Pioneer two days later. Pioneer's lone run came in the top of the fifth and tied the game 1-1, but the Rams unloaded for three runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth to coast to the win.
Scott Wallberg singled and doubled to drive in two runs for the Rams. Durkin and Pete Watts each singled and doubled and Rice and Alvin Rideau had two hits apiece. Rideau also knocked in two runs.
The Rams, 4-3 for the year and 2-0 in league play, will visit Silver Creek on March 13, 3:30 p.m. After a Thursday bye, the Rams will be back in action on March 19, 3:30 p.m., at home against Piedmont Hills. Rose figures the Rams and Pirates to be the title favorites in the division this spring.
Panthers Off and Running
The Presentation girls softball team is off to hot 5-0 start in the young 2001 season. The Panthers beat Santa Clara 6-1, Hillsdale 5-0, Salinas 3-0, Live Oak 3-0 and Wilcox 5-2.
Shannon Linerud tossed a one-hitter in Presentation's 6-1 win over the Bruins, striking out 14 along the way.
Adriana St. Cin came back a few days later with a one-hit shutout in Presentation's 5-0 win over Hillsdale. Jana Arde had three hits and Linerud knocked in two runs in the win.
Arde whirled a three-hit shutout and Kim Medica doubled and tripled to drive in two runs in a 3-0 win over Salinas in the Cupertino Tournament. Linerud smacked two hits and Andrea Gremer doubled.
Linerud had two hits to plate a couple of runs and she fired a one-hit shutout to lead the Panthers to the 3-0 win over Live Oak in the Cupertino tourney. St. Cin doubled and singled twice in the win and Arde had two hits.
St. Cin ran her pitching record to 2-0 with a five-hitter in a 5-2 win over Wilcox last week.
The Willow Glen girls, meanwhile, opened the year with a tight 1-0 win over Andrew Hill, but lost 4-0 to Silver Creek and 6-0 to Fremont last week.
Netters Fall
Willow Glen could manage just a pair of wins in doubles play in a 5-2 loss to Yerba Buena last week in Santa Teresa Division play. Minh Phan and Nhan Vo teamed for a 7-5, 6-1 win at No. 1 doubles and Alex Kane and Mike Nguyen won 6-3, 6-7, 7-5 at No. 2 for the only Willow Glen victories in the match.
The Rams slipped to 3-1 for the year and to 0-1 in the division with the loss. Yerba Buena is 3-0 in league play and 5-1 for the year. The Warriors and Rams, along with Leigh, were teams WG coach Don DuShane picked as title favorites in the division this season.
Puthoff Stars
Senior Mike Puthoff has been the leader in each of the Willow Glen's first four matches, but the Rams are still looking for their first win under first-year golf coach Bob Parker.
Parker, who made a name for himself as the very successful football and baseball coach at Willow Glen, took over the golf program this spring.
"I'm a rookie, so I don't really know the league well," he said. "We're not as strong as we've been the past four years, but we're playing great courses. It ought to be fun."
The Rams started the year at Spring Valley in Milpitas, but lost a 214-218 heartbreaker to Piedmont Hills in a nonleague match. Puthoff and John Howsman were each five-over par at 39. John Cabral finished with a 45.
Willow Glen lost 220-229 to Piedmont two days later at San Jose Municipal. Puthoff was again five-over at 41, and Howsman and Cabral each shot a 46.
The Rams opened Mount Hamilton Division play last week and lost twice to Valley Christian. Puthoff carded a 43 at Eagle Ridge, but the Rams lost 209-248 to the Warriors. Howsman shot a 47.
Puthoff came back with a 42 at Santa Teresa two days later, but Willow Glen lost 194-239. Radjabi finished at 46 with Howsman at 48 and Cabral at 49.
Spikers Lose
The Willow Glen boys volleyball team lost last week when the Rams opened the season in a nonleague match against powerhouse Prospect. Mark Sarinana hammered down 13 kills, but the Rams lost 15-10, 15-11, 15-7 to the Panthers.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
