Willow Glen Resident

Sports

Bittle, Niemi tosses Bruins to victories

By Kevin Sparrer

Kari Bittle and Bobbi Jo Niemi added a win apiece last week when the Branham girls softball team defeated Mt. Pleasant on April 4 and Independence on April 2 in games in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.

Bittle led the Bruins to a 2-1 victory over Mt. Pleasant, allowing only one run, but it was up to Michelle Haughey to finish the game when she smacked a game- winning walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh. She also had a hit earlier in the game.

Niemi took the win over Independence 9-1, striking out 10 and allowing only one run in the top of the seventh. Haughey was again the big hitter for the Bruins with a pair of doubles and three runs driven in. Nicole Bertolacci roped a double and single, drove in three and scored once; Niemi singled and scored twice; Jesiska Lum roped a triple and scored; Angela Hays singled and scored; Kate Sugarman knocked a hit; Amanda Rossetta ripped a single and Melissa Maves smacked two hits and scored.

The wins bring Branham to 4-0 in league play and to 7-8-1 overall.

Pioneer had some trouble last week, falling 1-0 to Piedmont Hills on April 4 and 1-0 to Evergreen Valley 1-0 on April 2 in Mt. Hamilton Division games. Alyssa Walker threw seven innings against Evergreen Valley, striking out 14 and giving up only one run on three hits.

The losses drop Pioneer to 2-2 in league and 9-7 overall.

Leland's Lindsey Truan added a ninth win to her record this season when the Chargers bested Santa Teresa 14-1 in only six innings on April 3 in a Mt. Hamilton Division game. While Truan did her job from the rubber, Amanda Martinez did her job at the plate, smacking a double and driving in a run in the win.

Stephanie Spindler blasted a double, drove in one and scored twice; Megan Unger doubled, singled, scored a run and had an RBI; Truan added to her cause with a single and two RBIs; Amanda Martinez roped a double, scored a run and drove in two; Lisa Fujihara belted a single, scored and drove in a pair; Courtney Krail singled and scored three times; Ashley Bowler ripped a triple and had three RBIs; and Vanessa Chaulklin belted a double, scored twice and drove in one.

Leland fell 4-3 the day before against Leigh, with Chaulklin driving in two of the three runs for the Chargers. Spindler added a single and an RBI, Jessie Frediani singled and scored and Unger knocked a hit.

Throwing for Leigh in the win over Leland was Carissa Theis, who chalked up her 15th win this year. Elyse Eitel knocked in the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh for the Longhorns with two outs.

Leigh had a busy week, falling to Homestead 1-0 on April 4 in the Mission City tournament despite 14 strikeouts by Theis.

The Longhorns also defeated Live Oak 2-0 on April 3 with Theis again doing the pitching. Kayla Pisano knocked two hits in the win.

The three games last week brought Leigh to 5-0 in league play and to 16-3 overall.

Willow Glen dealt with Andrew Hill 10-0 in West Valley Division play on April 5. Kelsee Graves tossed her 11th win of the year.

The Rams also bested Overfelt 2-1 on April 3 with Graves doing the work on the rubber.

The wins bring Willow Glen to 11-2 overall and 8-1 in league.

Lincoln fell 8-7 in a tough battle with James Lick on April 3. The Lions' Reyna Maldonado ripped three hits, two of them doubles, and drove in a run in the loss.

Lincoln also dropped one to Overfelt 8-5 on April 1.

The two losses drop Lincoln to 5-3 in league and 5-5 overall.