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Photograph by Scott Lechner
Down and Out: Willow Glen third sacker Jennifer Silva puts a tag on a sliding Gunderson runner for the final out of the game as the Rams rolled 9-0.
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Panthers win Miguel crown
Rams open league with two wins
By Dick Sparrer
Selecting the most valuable player in the recent Charlie Miguel Invitational Softball Tournament must have been no easy task.
But choosing the team that the MVP would come from was a no-brainer--she had to be a Panther. Presentation had won the tournament championship with six straight victories... five of them shutouts.
But which Panther would it be?
Shannon Linerud and Sara Wiedlin had tossed two wins apiece, and Alyssa Messier had a pitching win and some key hits. Kari Burke and Jessica Maynes were other top hitters for the Panthers, and Adrian St. Cin had the game-winning hit in the championship game.
So who would it be?
Well, timing is everything. And since Linerud got the call in the championship game against Piedmont Hills, and since she came through with a clutch 2-hit shutout, she won out over a field of worthy teammates to claim the MVP award.
Linerud struck out 11 and blanked the Pirates for seven innings to claim the win in the title game.
The Panthers were actually blanked for six innings in the final game before St. Cin singled home the game's only run to give Presentation a 1-0 victory and the tournament championship.
Linerud, who had beaten Santa Clara 3-1 on a 2-hitter earlier in the tourney, had knocked in the game-winning run in Presentation's 3-0 win over Wilcox in the quarter-finals.
Wiedlin picked up the exciting win against the Chargers, striking out 15 in the eight-inning game.
The clubs were locked in a scoreless tie through seven innings, but Linerud drove in a run to start a three-run rally in the eighth. Wiedlin put down Wilcox in the home half of the eighth to send the Panthers to the semifinals.
Messier got the pitching call in the semi's, and she came through, both on the mound and at the plate. Messier tossed a 5-hit shutout, and she also singled and doubled to drive in a pair of runs in the 5-0 win over Notre Dame-Belmont. Maynes tripled in the game for Presentation.
Wiedlin had tossed a no-hitter in a 5-0 win over Valley Christian earlier in the tournament, and Burke, Messier, Maynes and Stacey Burcina had big hits in the early rounds of tourney play.
Katie Arde fired a 1-hit shutout in a 7-0 win over Seaside. Arde struck out 11 and doubled to support her own cause.
Linerud was named the tournament's most valuable player, with Wiedlin and Burke claiming spots on the all-tourney list.
Jessica Busick of Piedmont Hills, who blanked Presentation for six innings in the title game, was named the most valuable pitcher of the tournament.
Rounding out the all-tournament team were Amy Thornhill of Pioneer, Stacey Benzing of Lynbrook, Brittany Hennig of Westmont, Kandice Lynch and Brooke Charland of Del Mar, Christy Olow of Carmel, Demetra Kalogrides of Santa Teresa, Vicky Doane and Rachel Sherman of Wilcox, Amy Farrell and Jennifer Ponzo of Notre Dame-Belmont and Chandra Frazier of Santa Clara.
Willow Glen wasn't represented on the all-tourney list, but the Rams did win a pair of games before falling out of the tournament.
The Rams, who lost early 5-3 to Milpitas, came back to beat Santa Teresa 3-1 and Mountain View 7-2 in the loser's bracket before getting knocked out of the tourney.
Nicki Garcia was outstanding in back-to-back games for the Rams. The senior tossed a pair of wins for Willow Glen and also led the club with four hits.
Garcia fired a 5-hitter in Willow Glen's 3-1 win over the Saints. She homered and singled to knock in two runs in the game. Angel Ocampo doubled twice for the Rams.
Garcia came back to throw a 3-hitter in WG's 7-2 victory over Mountain View. She led her club's offensive attack with a double and triple to drive home three runs.
In regular season play last week, Willow Glen blanked Gunderson 9-0 in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.
Garcia flipped a 2-hit shutout for the win, striking out nine along the way.
Jennifer Silva had two hits to drive in three runs, and Erin Booth, Kelly McCloskey and Desirae Dagnino had two hits each.
Earlier in the week, Ocampo tripled and homered to knock in three runs, and Garcia singled, doubled and tripled to drive in two in Willow Glen's 6-4 victory over James Lick. Garcia was also the winning pitcher, allowing just five hits.
Presentation also opened league play last week with back-to-back wins, beating Oak Grove 5-0 and Santa Teresa 4-0 in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the BVAL.
Linerud tossed a 3-hit shutout, striking out six, to lead the Panthers past the Saints. Burke singled and tripled to drive home a pair of runs, and St. Cin cracked a triple.
Messier whirled a 4-hit shutout in Presentation's 5-0 win over the Eagles. St. Cin had three hits for the Panthers, and Burcina had a pair. Burke and Linerud each doubled.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
