Willow Glen Resident
Sports
Souza plays key role in win for Mustangs
By Dick Sparrer
It almost seemed like an omen of things to come. .
Los Gatos lead-off hitter Tyler Olivet flipped a soft fly ball into right field to open Friday's non-league baseball game at Pioneer, and outfielder Justin Souza came on strong to make an impressive tumbling catch to rob the Gatos freshman of a hit.
As far as turned out, it was the story of the day for Los Gatos--and a pretty big story for Pioneer.
The Mustangs, who have been struggling this season with a 2-6 record in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League and a 5-7 mark overall, upset the three-time defending league champion Wildcats 4-2.
The Cats, going for a fourth straight title in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League this spring, dropped to 12-6 for the year with the loss.
Los Gatos hitters couldn't figure out senior right-hander Don Medlinger, who scattered seven hits while displaying great control with just three walks and five strikeouts.
"He's been on all year," said Pioneer coach Jake Hernandez of Medlinger. "He's the pitcher who can stop a long streak and get you a win. When you've got a guy like that, you've got a chance."
Pioneer had more than a chance on Friday afternoon--the Mustangs had a shutout and a 4-0 lead through five innings.
"We took advantage of their mistakes, and they made some," said Hernandez. "It was good to see some of our guys come through in the clutch."
Clutch was the story of the day for the Mustangs. It started with the diving catch by Souza in right and continued later in the inning when shortstop Greg Schwartz made a fine stop on a ground ball up the middle and turned it into an inning-ending force out.
Schwartz then went to work at the plate, leading off the game with an infield single for the Mustangs. He raced to second when Rob Artery bounced out to short and remained there as Michael Boudinot worked a four-pitch walk.
Both runners raced home when Aaron Lefeber crushed a two-run double up the gap in right-center field.
Medlinger put the Cats down one-two-three in the second and worked out a two-out, two-on jam in the top of the third before the Mustangs rallied for two more in the home half of the third.
Artery reached on an error with one out, but he was forced at second on Boudinot's roller to second. After Boudinot took second on a wild pitch, Lefeber singled to right to put runners on the corners. An error moved Lefeber to second, then Souza plated both runners with a double to right.
Gatos finally started to make some offensive noise in the top of the sixth. K.C. Silva drilled a one-out double down the right-field line and an out later moved to third on a single by Greg Walters.
With runners at the corners, Walters stole second base. On the throw down, Silva stole home and Walters took third when the ball got away at the plate.
Colin Chapman beat out an infield hit to knock in Walters and took second on a throwing error. Travis Bonner followed with a single to right, but Chapman was tossed out at the plate on a close play--and it was Souza, the same guy who made the diving catch in the first, who made the throw to catcher Ryan Clough.
Gatos went quietly in the seventh--one-two-three--and Pioneer had locked up the upset win.
Lefeber finished with two hits, including the key two-strike double in the first, and Souza came through with the clutch two-out double in the third.
Schwartz, Jon Meyer and Matt Yanez also had hits in the win for Pioneer.
Rams top Warriors
Willow Glen's baseball team defeated Yerba Buena 12-1 on March 29, with Joe Sullivan picking up a win on the mound and Nathan Kadlecek knocking three hits, including a triple. Kadlecek also stole two bases and drove in three runs.
Tyler Heinkel added a triple, a single and two RBIs. Kyle Ray singled twice and drove in one, Bryce Carolyn singled and drove in two, Ricardo Diaz knocked a hit, Adam Joyce ripped a hit and drove in a run, and Joe Sullivan and Elliott Boesch each added a hit. Boesch also had an RBI in the win.
The Rams fell 9-1 to Bellarmine on March 26, with Heinkel ripping two hits and driving in the only Willow Glen run of the game.
Willow Glen also defeated Leland 2-0 on March 24 with Jake Goetz throwing a complete game and improving his record to 3-2. Kadlecek blasted a double, a single and scored a run in the win.
Drew Marino also knocked two hits, including a double, for the Chargers.
Willow Glen is now 4-4 in the Santa Teresa Division and 8-8 overall. The Rams were to visit Oak Grove on April 2 and will host the Eagles at 3:30 p.m. on April 4.
Leland defeated Cupertino 7-0 in a non-league game on March 27 to bring its record to 9-6-1 overall and 3-4-1 in the Santa Teresa Division.
Leigh nails seventh
Leigh's baseball team fell in the third round of the South San Francisco tournament 8-7 to Valley Christian-Dublin.
Leigh led for most of the game, but Valley scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh and took the win with two outs.
Leigh defeated Orange Park 15-1 in six innings for seventh place in the tournament with Ryan Pitman hammering out four hits, including a double, and driving in four runs. The win brings Leigh to 12-4-1 overall.
Warriors blank Bruins
Branham's baseball team struggled a bit, falling twice to Westmont--8-0 on March 28 and 9-0 on March 26.
In the loss on Friday, it was only Kevin Wallace who stood out for the Bruins, knocking two of their three hits. Sam Whittemore also singled for Branham.
Branham fell behind early when the Warriors scored three runs in the top of the third. The Bruins had an opportunity in the bottom of the fifth when Wallace singled, and after two strikeouts Chris Urakami drew a walk to put two runners on. But Westmont was able to get out of the inning without allowing a run.
The Warriors put up two more in the top of the sixth and three in the top of the seventh to take the win.
Branham did not fare much better on Wednesday, despite getting two hits from Gino Valletta.
The losses drop Branham to 7-3 in the Mt. Hamilton Division and 11-3 overall.
Westmont alumni game
The second annual Jeff Mitchell Alumni Baseball Game returns to Westmont High School on May 3 when players of the past and present remember a fallen Warrior.
Mitchell was a standout baseball player for four years at Westmont, but the 1986 graduate was killed in the line of duty in 2006 as a member of the California Sheriff's Department in Sacramento County. To honor his memory, and raise funds for his wife Crystal and their 7-year-old son Jake, the current Westmont varsity and frosh-soph players will Westmont alumni players in a 2 p.m. game that will also feature a barbecue and raffle.
For more information, call 408. 626.3406, ext. 6112.
