I’m pleased to announce our Lady Ram’s softball team won their
14th game of the season last Friday by defeating the Hartnell
Panthers by a score of 4-3. We played errorless softball for the
second game in a row and received timely hitting from Justine
McDonald who knocked in a Courtney Colianna with a double in the
first, and Amanda Jackson who hit a two-strike pitch for a double
off the center field fence driving in Colianna and Katrina Villa in
the sixth.
Editor,
I’m pleased to announce our Lady Ram’s softball team won their 14th game of the season last Friday by defeating the Hartnell Panthers by a score of 4-3. We played errorless softball for the second game in a row and received timely hitting from Justine McDonald who knocked in a Courtney Colianna with a double in the first, and Amanda Jackson who hit a two-strike pitch for a double off the center field fence driving in Colianna and Katrina Villa in the sixth.
Destinee Powers gave us six strong innings on the mound and had a no-hitter going into the bottom of the sixth before the Panthers scored two runs on three hits. Hartnell scored one more in the bottom of seventh before Lady Ram reliever, Courtney Colianna worked her way out of a one out, bases loaded jam by getting the last two batters on a strikeout and fielder’s choice to shortstop.
This year’s team is now 14 and 10 on the season and 5 and 5 in conference with at least 12 games to go in the regular season. I say we have at least 12 games to play, because this year’s team members are so enthusiastic about softball they want to make up some games that were rained out earlier in the season. And, if we continue to play as well as we have we might have an outside chance at a berth in the Nor Cal playoffs. Nevertheless, game in game out we’ve been playing very good softball this season and I’m very proud of these gals. Although I don’t like making comparisons, the gals on this year’s team keep reminding me that we’re the most successful team (in terms of win/loss record) at Gavilan this year.
While we’re having a very fine season and I said four years ago when I arrived at Gavilan it would take at least four years to rebuild the softball program into one that was respected by other schools, it appears as though I will not be rehired at the college next year. Although I have not received an official notice, as a strong advocate for women’s sports and equal rights, I have brought up a number of Title IX issues and disparities between our men’s baseball and women’s softball programs and I believe it’s the reason I’m not going to be rehired.
At this time, I do want to once again thank all the business owners and community volunteers who helped us make the improvements to the softball field at Gavilan, as well as all the coaches, sports writers, and other community members who have supported the rebirth and growth of our program over the last four years. Each of you in your own way has helped us build a successful program, and on behalf of my assistant Bruce Nicholson and all our players both past and present, I want to express our deepest gratitude. And to everyone who has been following our success this year, we hope to continue to provide you with an excellent and exciting brand of Gavilan Softball.
Tim Kenworthy, Head Women’s Softball Coach, Gavilan College
