Photograph by Skye Dunlap
Net Gain:
Willow Glen's No. 2 singles player, Vince Butera, lost a tough decision in last week's clash with Silver Creek.
Segerstrom flips no-hitter
Tough softball losses for Rams, Panthers
By Dick Sparrer
Matt Segerstrom had Mt. Pleasant's number when he took the mound for the Willow Glen baseball team last week.
And that number was zero!
Segerstrom blanked the Cardinals on no hits to lead the Rams to a 7-0 victory in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.
The senior hurler fanned nine Cardinal hitters as he threw goose egg after goose egg up on the Willow Glen scoreboard.
Segerstrom got all the offensive support he really needed from Gabe Candelaria, who ripped a two-run homer for Willow Glen.
Hank Hager had two hits to drive in three runs for the Rams in the win and Mark Arreola added two hits.
But the story of the day was Segerstrom, who picked up his first pitching decision of the season with the no-hit victory.
The Rams, 2-6 in the division and 4-12 for the year, lost 9-6 to Silver Creek later in the week. Willow Glen could manage just two hits in the loss, one of them a double by Greg Mansfield.
Mansfield had thrown a solid game for the Rams in the Soquel Tournament a week earlier, but Willow Glen lost a tough 3-2 decision to Monterey.
The Rams battled back to knock off Soquel 4-1. Candelaria had two hits for Willow Glen, and Bobby Hobbs went the distance to claim the pitching win. Hobbs, 2-2 for the year, flipped a seven-hitter for the Rams.
Roy blasts HR
Brian Roy blasted a solo home run and also knocked in three other runs, but the Pioneer baseball team dropped a tough 8-6 nod to Leland last Friday in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the BVAL.
Roy, who had ripped a two-run single earlier in the game, drilled a line shot over the right-center-field fence in the fifth. He drove in another run in the sixth with a ground ball.
The loss was the third of the week for the Mustangs, who had fallen to Valley Christian Tuesday and Westmont Wednesday. Pioneer is now 1-8 in league play and in last place in the division.
Tough losses
The Willow Glen and Presentation girls softball teams each suffered tough losses last week. The Rams lost 6-5 in eight innings to Del Mar, then fell 2-1 to Independence in action in the Santa Teresa Division of the BVAL. Willow Glen slipped to 3-3 in league with the losses.
Nikki Garcia was tagged with both of the losses for the Rams, despite tossing a four-hitter at Independence and scattering just nine hits against the Dons.
Erin Booth doubled and singled twice and Garcia had two hits in the loss to Del Mar. Angel Ocampo tripled for the Rams.
Garcia and the Rams were cruising along with a 5-2 lead after Willow Glen picked up three runs in the first and two more in the third.
But the Dons tied it with three in the seventh, then won it with a run in the eighth.
Kelly McCloskey had two hits and Garcia flipped the four-hitter, but the Rams lost a 2-1 heartbreaker to the 76ers.
Independence scored a run in the first, but Willow Glen answered with a run in the third to tie it. The Sixers broke the tie with a run in the sixth, and that stood up as the game-winner.
Presentation lost in its only game last week, dropping a 2-1 heartbreaker to Leigh in nine innings.
The clubs were locked in a scoreless tie through eight innings before the Longhorns drew first blood with two runs in the top of the ninth. The Panthers got one back in the bottom of the inning, but ended up losing 2-1.
Presentation slipped to 2-2 in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the BVAL with the loss. The Panthers are 15-5 for the year.
Netters fall
Jonathan Hunter posted a win at No. 1 singles, but the Willow Glen tennis team dropped a 6-1 decision to Silver Creek in the Santa Teresa Division of the BVAL.
Hunter, who played in the No. 3 spot for the Rams last spring, has moved to the No. 1 spot on the singles ladder this season and rolled to an easy 6-1, 6-0 against Silver Creek.
Vince Butera lost a tough 6-3, 6-4 decision at No. 2 singles, and Nick Perez went three sets before losing 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 4.
Jose Ocampo and Will Burns dropped a tough 7-5, 7-5 nod at No. 1 doubles, and Loc Nguyen and Alex Nguyen lost in three sets at No. 2, falling 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.
The Rams will try to get back on the winning track this week when they visit Independence on April 20, host Piedmont Hills on April 22 and head to Oak Grove on April 23 for three 3:15 p.m. matches.
Volleyball victories
The Willow Glen boys volleyball team won twice in league play last week, beating Piedmont Hills 5-15, 14-16, 15-6, 15-6, 15-3 and taking Lincoln 15-11, 10-15, 15-13, 15-11.
The Rams are now 5-3 in the Santa Teresa Division of the BVAL and 5-4 for the year.
Gregg a winner
Whitney Gregg breezed to a pair of victories and Kara Buchanan won one event, but the Willow Glen girls swimming team dropped a 100-68 decision to Pioneer in the Santa Teresa Division of the BVAL.
Gregg took the 200-yard freestyle in 2:03.80 and came back to win the 100 free in 57.13 to star for the Rams.
Buchanan was first in the 100 butterfly in 1:08.35.
The Rams slipped to 1-2 in the Santa Teresa Division with the loss. The Willow Glen boys lost 122-26 to the Mustangs.
Staton stars
Matt Staton was just one over par last week, leading the Willow Glen golf team to a 207-216 victory over Valley Christian in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the BVAL.
Staton covered the par-35 Riverside course with a 36 to help the Rams improve to 6-3 for the year.
Kebede, Najera win
Eyasu Kebede won two events and Janette Najera won three, but the Willow Glen track teams were two-timed by Andrew Hill in West Valley Division competition last week.
Kebede took the mile in 4:55.25 and the two-mile in 10:45.37, but the Willow Glen boys lost 68-59 to Hill.
Leo Garcia breezed to a win in the 800 in 2:15.97, and Paul Martinez was first in the 110 high hurdles in 16.22.
Kamal Abdelbaki soared to a win in the long jump at 17-11, and Chris Jones won the shot put with a toss of 36-7.
Najera romped to wins in the mile in 5:57.0, the 800 in 2:41.41 and the two-mile in 13:17.33, but the Willow Glen girls lost 69-50 to Hill.
Willow Glen, California Since 1992
