Willow Glen Resident

Sports

Branham's Bittle flips 3-hitter for big win over Independence

By Kevin Sparrer

Kari Bittle set 'em up and then knocked 'em down for the Branham girls softball team when she tossed a 3-hitter for the Bruins in an 11-3 win over Independence on April 25.

The win lifted Branham's record to 8-1 in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League and to 12-9-1 overall. The Bruins, who will host Prospect on May 2 at 3:30 p.m., share first place in the division with Oak Grove.

Bittle gained her fourth win of the year for Branham when she defeated Independence last week. Natalie Tran smacked two hits, including a double, and drove in a run to lead the offense.

On April 24 the Bruins bested Prospect 20-0 with Bobbi Jo Niemi getting the win on the rubber, while Bittle roped a home run and a single in the win.

Branham's only loss of the week came against Oak Grove, 8-0 on April 23. Angela Hays crushed a double for the Bruins in the loss.

The Leigh softball team defeated Leland 8-5 on April 24 with Elyse Eitel leading the offense for the Longhorns. Eitel ripped three hits, including a double, and had an RBI and scored twice in the win. Brooke MacLean belted a double and a single; Kayla Pisano slammed a pair of hits, drove in two and scored; both Becca Hogan and Kirstie Zimmerman singled and scored; and Shelby Ford knocked a hit.

For Leland, Vanessa Chaulklin blasted a home run and drove in three runs. Rehanna Rinauro smacked two hits and scored, and Lindsey Truan knocked two hits. Megan Unger roped a double and drove in two, Jessie Frediani ripped a single and scored twice and Lisa Fujihara singled.

Leigh fell 6-4 to Piedmont Hills on April 23 with Brittney Pangborn roping two hits, driving in one and scoring for the Longhorns. Ford and Hogan each singled and scored, Zimmerman blasted a single and drove in one and Eitel singled in the loss.

The Longhorns are now 8-1 and in first place in the Mt. Hamilton Division, and 22-6 overall. Leigh will head to Westmont on May 2 at 3:30 p.m.

Prior to the loss to the Longhorns, Leland had defeated Live Oak 2-0. The Chargers won the game despite getting only four hits. Unger led with a pair of singles, and both Fujihara and Rinauro smacked hits and had an RBI.

The Chargers are 5-5 in the Mt. Hamilton Division and 11-12 overall. They will head to Pioneer on May 2 at 3:30 p.m.

Pioneer defeated Evergreen Valley 2-1 on April 25 and bested Westmont 6-0 on April 23. Alyssa Walker added her seventh win of the year for Pioneer with 11 strikeouts in the win over the Cougars. Walker allowed only one hit in the game. Ashley McMahon smacked a triple and a single and drove in two runs in the win.

Pioneer is now 5-5 in the Mt. Hamilton Division and 12-10 overall.

Baseball

The Leland baseball team defeated Pioneer 3-1 on April 25, with Gregg Hipwell getting his second win of the season. Will Borin drove in two runs for the Chargers.

Pioneer had only five hits in the game--singles by Don Medlinger, Greg Schwartz, Justin Souza, Michael Boudinot and Aaron Lefeber--and Rob Artery had the only run scored.

On April 23, Leland fell 8-6 to Branham with Trevor Dyer ripping a double and a single and driving in a run for Leland.

Erik Alcantar and Gino Valletta led the Bruins to the win. Alcantar blasted a double and two singles and scored three times, and Valletta boomed a home run and a single, drove in three and scored. Chris Mendoza belted two hits, drove in two and scored twice; Sam Whittemore smacked a double and a single and drove in a run; Jason Ostrander and Kyle Cool each roped a hit and scored; and Chris Urakami and David Bailey both singled in the win.

The Chargers are 5-12 in the Mt. Hamilton Division and 11-14 overall. Leland will host Westmont on May 2 at 3:30 p.m.

Pioneer was shut out against Live Oak on April 23, falling 10-0. The Mustangs managed only four hits, with Lefeber blasting a double and Souza, Schwartz and Medlinger each ripping singles.

The Mustangs also fell 4-2 to Westmont on April 21, getting only five hits. Boudinot ripped a single and drove in both runs, while Souza and Schwartz both knocked hits and scored. Nick Campusano and Lefeber each singled in the loss.

Pioneer fell to 6-11 in the Mt. Hamilton Division and 9-12 overall. The Mustangs will host Piedmont Hills on May 2 at 3:30 p.m.

Branham defeated Leigh 11-10 on April 25 with Nick Rossetta blasting three hits for the Bruins, including a double, and an RBI and a run scored. Valletta ripped two hits, including a double, had an RBI and scored twice; Cool knocked two hits and drove in one; David Bailey roped two hits and scored; Alcantar belted a single and scored twice; Whittemore smacked a single and score; Kevin Wallace smashed a single, drove in one and scored twice; and Mendoza ripped a hit and scored twice.

Max Michaelis ripped a pair of hits and drove in a run for the Longhorns.