Softball team rebuilding with local talent
Two years ago, there was no Gavilan Rams softball team to speak
of and the college was in violation of Title IX. Last year the
school began moving back to parity in women’s sports, but the
softball team’s winless record was an indication the program still
was suffering.
Two years ago, there was no Gavilan Rams softball team to speak of and the college was in violation of Title IX. Last year the school began moving back to parity in women’s sports, but the softball team’s winless record was an indication the program still was suffering.
This year, with a batch of new local recruits and a softball diamond in the midst of a $14,000 facelift, including new dugouts and batting cages, the Rams are the talk of the town.
Just as Coach Tim Kenworthy hoped, the upgraded field is attracting the local talent he knows will bring the struggling softball program back to respectability in the Coast Conference south division.
When the Lady Rams take the practice field in six days, the team will have a nostalgic look to local softball fans. Eight of the players are former San Benito Haybalers, two are from Morgan Hill and one, the Rams’ top pitcher Melissa Nicholson, is from Gilroy.
Although nothing is set in stone until the Rams coaching staff sees how the women play in practice, Kenworthy is still eager to get the 2002 season underway.
“They are all chomping at the bit to get out and play on this new field,” said Kenworthy. “Last year we established a foundation and made some big strides, but this year we’re really excited.”
Former Haybaler Shelbi Brown, who patrolled the San Benito left field for three years, Melissa Almaguer, a stud at third base, Stephanie Denton, who transferred to Gavilan, and second baseman Nani Morales are all committed to playing this year. Brown, Denton and Almaguer were part of the 2001-02 Haybalers squad that made it to the Central Coast Section championship game.
Kenworthy said he spotted Morales playing in a soft-toss softball game at Memorial Park in Hollister.
“I saw her and she still looked good, so I asked if she still wanted to play,” Kenworthy said.
Morales will probably play second base, the position she played in high school.
Other Haybalers that made the jump to the Rams include Sarah Shepherd, Colleen Brown, Dalila Casas and Tiffany Delgado. Adding to the mix are Live Oak’s Michelle Alvernaz and Lindsey Havens-Cook. Kenworthy says he expects Alvernaz, one of two returning players, to hit her stride this year. She put in the work over the summer and he feels her contribution will steadily rise as the season progresses.
Nicholson, the other returnee, will anchor the mound.
The Rams play in the tough South Division of the Coast Conference. The division’s best team, West Valley College, is the two-time defending state champion and the Rams play them twice. The Rams also have to face San Jose City, one of the better teams in Northern California, Hartnell, Cabrillo and Monterey Peninsula College twice.
Nicholson’s lively arms and the revamped and vastly improved infield should limit the losses. Last year Nicholson threw a one-hitter and still lost because of errors in the field.
“None of this would be possible if it weren’t for the volunteers and the donations from the people of these communities,” Kenworthy said.
Over the Christmas holiday, the softball program received an $8,270 grant from the Calpine Gilroy Energy Center as part of its second annual community grant program.
Gavilan Athletic Director Ron Hannon will use the funds to build two batting cages, concrete blocks and still have between $500 and $600 leftover. The school has already begun construction of a new storage facility adjacent to the field. The extra funds also allow Hannon and the Rams to remove the granite-style infield surface and replace it with red clay soil and install a portable outfield fence to enclose the field.
Hannon wrote up the grant, turned it in at the end of October, and was happy to learn when he returned to work of the holiday gift.
“It was very surprising,” Hannon said.
Hannon has steadily rebuilt the Gavilan Athletics Department since he was brought on at the beginning of the school year. He has helped to stabilized the softball program by hiring Kenworthy as a full time Physical Education teacher and tabbing him as the women’s softball coach.
