Sports
Monte Vista Softball Splits Games in Livermore Doubleheader
Mustangs win some, lose some in second day of Livermore Stampede Tournament.
When the Mustangs score six or more runs, they win.
When they don't …
"We don't have to win 20-0 or 6-0," said coach Louie Greco. "1-0 is good."
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Monte Vista hasn't yet mastered the art of the 1-0 victory.
In Friday's day-two action at the Livermore Stampede softball tournament, the Mustangs started strong by beating Dear Valley out of Antioch, 8-3. In the second half of the double-dipper, they succumbed to Sacramento's Sheldon, 6-0.
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Monte Vista's record sits at 5-5 overall with a 1-2 showing in the tournament so far, good enough for third place in their pool. Saturday they play two games against the other third-place poolsters, in position to finish the tournament somewhere between 9th and 12th overall.
In their first Friday game, against the Deer Valley Wolverines (2-7), the Mustangs faced a beatable team and did what good teams do: beat them. They batted around in the sixth inning, keeping it interesting before driving in five of their eight runs that inning.
"We wanted to win after losing yesterday," said Greco. "We came back strong in this game. I'm proud of the girls."
Evidently none of the umpires noticed sophomore Shannon Low was using a blowtorch at the plate. She went 4-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and a three-run home run.
The Wolverines scattered five hits over six innings, plating solo runs in the second, fifth and sixth. Junior Nikki Foster was able to reach base in each of her at-bats, scoring two runs in the process, but it was not enough for Deer Valley to keep pace with Monte Vista's offensive explosion in the sixth.
The second game was a tougher challenge for the Mustangs, facing one of the tournament's top-ranked teams in the Sheldon Huskies (8-5-1). After sophomore pitcher Montana Berg kept the Huskies off the board in the top of the first inning by stranding the speedy Danielle Wiltz on third, the Mustangs had runners on first and second with two out. Junior Kristin Ormsby socked a base hit to centerfield and Low was given the green light around third, only to be cut down at home plate, denying the Mustangs the lead and ending the inning.
It was déjà vu all over again with two on in the third inning. Junior Katelyn Mamizuka singled to center, and again Low was sent home only to be out by a country mile. The Sheldon catcher, MeShalon Moore, then whipped the ball to third to get sophomore Alex Jung for the routine 8-2-5 double play.
"I tried to play it a little aggressive because I figured they were that good of a team," said Greco. "I wanted to try to come at them. It didn't work."
Berg, pitching in her second game of the afternoon, allowed baserunners in every inning but routinely worked her way out of trouble by stranding runners in scoring position in four separate innings.
She got some help from a Mustangs defense that played solidly all day. The highlight was a tremendous diving catch by junior leftfielder Rachel Lewis, who tracked a ball into foul territory. It was the kind of play that makes that Bristol show's Top 10 look like amateur hour.
"We needed outs," said Lewis. "I had to do everything I could to get that one."
Was that a routine play for her?
"Oh yeah. I make those kinds of plays all the time," she grinned.
It wasn't enough, however. Before Sheldon junior Danielle Henderson's three-run home run put the game away in the sixth, the Huskies scored their first three runs via the suicide squeeze.
The Mustangs were hitting, but not scoring. The Huskies were scoring with bunting.
A top Mustang hitter was Shannon Low, who went 3-for-3 with an opposite-field double over the rightfielder's head. After secretly replacing her blowtorch with a rod of white-hot uranium, she began the tournament batting .900 with a 1.600 slugging percentage. Babe Ruth slugged a paltry .690.
Someone has been eating their Wheaties.
"Chocolate-chip pancakes, actually," said Low.
Coach Greco put it all in perspective.
"I'm happy with our performance," he said. "Overall I think we've done well. All these games do is make you tougher. Tomorrow is another day."
Junior shortstop Kristin Ormsby echoed her coach's sentiments.
"I think tomorrow we'll play good," she said. "I really believe so. The tougher the teams that you play, the better you get. Whoever we're playing tomorrow better not underestimate us."
Especially not if the rest of the Mustangs get their hands on Low's chocolate-chip pancakes.
