Willow Glen Resident
Sports
Good start, rough finish for Willow Glen
By Kevin Sparrer
An important rule to learn in sports is it's not how you start the game, but how you finish it.
The Willow Glen baseball team learned that lesson the hard way on March 22 when the Rams fell to Leland 12-6 after taking a three-run lead in the first inning in the Blossom Valley Athletic League Mt. Hamilton Division game.
Leland came back and scored seven runs in the top of the second, and though they scored a few more runs, the Rams could not make up the difference.
Though the Rams fell in the contest, they were not without their heavy hitters. Gregg Garrity was swinging the big bat for the Rams, hammering out three hits in four appearances. One of those hits was a hard line drive to right field for a two-run double, one of only two extra base hits Willow Glen had in the game. Garrity also scored once and drove in three runs for the game.
Justin Fuller also belted a pair of hits, including a line drive double to right and a ground ball through the middle that drove in a run. Fuller scored once in the loss.
Dewey Rogge ripped single on the ground through the left side that scored a run. Rogge also crossed home plate once himself.
Elliot Hoffman nailed a line drive single to left and scored a run for the Rams, while Jake Goetz smashed a line drive up the middle for his only hit of the game.
Willow Glen's biggest inning came in the bottom of the first. The Rams went through all nine batters in the order to score three runs. Hoffman led off the inning by drawing a walk and went to second when Cory Kingston walked. With two runners on, Rogge knocked his ground ball through the left side that drove in Hoffman.
With runners at first and second, the next batter grounded into a double play that allowed Kingston to reach third. Garrity then came up and knocked the ball through the left side, scoring Kingston. Anthony Gotelli reached on an error by the first baseman to put runners at the corners. Fuller then knocked the ball through the middle of the field to scored Garrity and move Gotelli to third. Garrity went to second when the Chargers tried to catch Gotelli on his way to third. Goetz then walked to load the bases, but Leland was able to get the final out to end the inning.
The Rams also scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the second after Hoffman led of the inning with a base knock to left. Kingston forced Hoffman at second but then stole second before Rogge walked. The pitcher for Leland then balked to allow the runners to advance. An out later, Garrity smashed his double to right that scored both Kingston and Rogge.
The Rams also faced the Chargers earlier in the week, with Leland coming out on top 13-2.
Hoffman had a double and scored a run. Kingston, Rogge and Fuller also had hits and Garrity scored the other run in the loss.
Willow Glen was to host Piedmont Hills on March 27 before traveling to the home of the Pirates on March 29 for the second game of the week. The first pitch will be thrown at 3:30 p.m.
After the losses to Leland, Willow Glen entered this week with a 2-6 record in league, 2-7 overall.
Relay team wins
Sophomores Nohe Lema and Nati Wolde teamed with junior Mohamed Abdalla and senior Marcos Corona to win the 4xmile relay at the West Valley Relays held last Saturday at West Valley College in Saratoga.
It was an impressive 4:18 third leg by Abdalla that helped the Rams stop the watch at 17:58 for the relay win. Abdalla was the Division III Central Coast Section and state champion in cross country last fall.
Lema opened the relay with a 4:34 split and Wolde followed with a matching 4:34, handing the baton to Abdalla with the Rams 20 seconds behind Carlmont. The Willow Glen junior breezed by the Scots to hand the baton and the lead to Corona, who took it home for the victory. Corona, fourth in the state in cross country, ripped off a 4:22 split to finish 18 seconds ahead of Carlmont.
"This team time of 17:58 is among the fastest times in the nation," said Willow Glen distance coach Victor Santamaria, who foursome will now focus on the April 6 Arcadia Invitational. "They'll get a chance to face the best 4xmile relay teams in the nation."
"The team is very excited right now, and the members believe they can improve their time by at least 10 to 15 seconds, which would rank them among the top five teams in the nation," added the coach.
Sisco leads Rams
Robby Sisco won medalist honors in back-to-back rounds to lead the Willow Glen golf team to a pair of wins over Yerba Buena last week.
Sisco fired an 8-over-par 44 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course to lead the Rams to a 264-329 victory over the Warriors. Earlier, he had carded a 43 at the par-34 Los Lagos Golf Course to lead Willow Glen past YB 260-328.
The Rams are now 6-0 in the Santa Teresa Division of the BVAL.
