Salinas – The No. 6 seeded Gilroy Mustang softball team battled No. 11 seeded Mt. Pleasant Cardinals through five scoreless innings before the Mustangs’ offense came alive in the bottom of the sixth to come away with the 4-0 victory over the Cardinals in the Central Coast Section Division I opening round playoff game at the Salinas Sports Complex Wednesday evening.
With the win, the Mustangs advance to Saturday’s quarterfinal game against the No. 3 seed San Benito Haybalers (26-3), who earned a first-round bye, at 10:30am.
The Mustangs (15-9) broke open the pitching/defensive duel in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, Gilroy’s Patty Olvera roped a triple to center field past the Cardinals’ outfielders. Gilroy’s starting pitcher Sarah Villar followed with a RBI double to right field to put the Mustangs on the board, 1-0. Angelica Galindo then hit a high pop up to shallow left field that was dropped. With runners on second and third, Gilroy freshman Jasmine Perez delivered the big blow with a three-run home run to dead center that sped by the Cardinals’ outfielders to the wall, 4-0.
“Right when I got to second I knew I was going to make it,” said Perez of her home run. “We had to bring up our bats and cheer on our team.” Perez went 1-for-3 in the game.
Villar pitched a complete game shutout for the Mustangs despite getting off to a shaky start. She struck out seven while allowing five hits and walking four.
In the top of the first inning, the Cardinals (15-12) loaded the bases with no outs on two walks and a bunt single. Villar got out of the jam with help from her defense as the next batter hit into a double play at home and first. Villar got the third out with a strikeout to get out of the inning unscathed.
“I was a little nervous in the first inning,” Villar said. “I had some jitters, but I’ve got to get used to that for college next year. My teammates really helped me out and I was able to adjust.”
Mt. Pleasant tried to mount a comeback in the top of the seventh inning, getting a runner into scoring position with two outs, but Villar got the final out catching a line drive.
“The team did awesome tonight. Everything was going well,” Villar said. “I don’t know what happened in the sixth, but everything worked.”
Gilroy coach Catherine Hallada added, “We waited a little too long (at the plate). “They (the Mustangs) knew they had to come on and they did it with key hits.”
Now the Mustangs will take on a team they have seen three times this season in the ‘Balers on Saturday. During Tri-County Athletic League action, Gilroy and San Benito split the two games in which they faced each other.
“They’re (San Benito) very good hitters and we are too, so it’s going to be the battle of the bats,” said Villar. “I’m hoping we execute.”
