After a 2021 season that saw the Los Gatos High softball team finish as the runner-up in the Santa Clara Valley League’s De Anza Division and an out away from advancing to the Central Coast Section Division I championship game, the Wildcats have two big goals left to accomplish this year: win league and CCS titles.
Los Gatos has been rolling league foes in 2022, beating three opponents by a combined margin of 45-4. Wildcats coach Randy Frey expects to duke it out with a familiar foe for this year’s title: Los Altos, which won it last year after edging Los Gatos in both league meetings by one run each.
“Los Altos I think is going to give us a run for it,” Frey said. “They beat us twice last year and I thought we had a stronger team player for player. But they outplayed us in the two games we played them in and they deserved it, they won. Hopefully our girls remember that and get something out of that so we can get it done this year.”
Los Gatos, which entered its March 29 non-league game against Valley Christian at 9-1, plays Los Altos on March 30 and April 27. The Wildcats routed Mountain View 17-3 in a mercy-rule game on March 23, one day after they were rolled by national power St. Francis, 12-0. For Los Gatos, dealing with the St. Francis loss was simple.
“You definitely have to forget about it,” junior standout Anna Bean said. “If you think about it, you’re not going to come back so you flush it and do what you can.”
Athletes and coaches know they need to have a short memory—whether it’s a win, loss, good moment or bad—so they can focus intently on the next game or practice. That’s exactly what Los Gatos did after the St. Francis game, rolling a Spartans team by scoring at least four runs in four of the game’s five innings.
In addition to earning the win in the circle, Bean hit a grand slam in the top of the third inning, then was intentionally walked in her next two at-bats and understandably so. Bean is a force with the bat and has the capability to hit a home run each time she steps to the plate.
“Two intentional walks in one game, I haven’t had that happen to me before,” Bean said. “It feels a little good but I’m also thinking, ‘Come on, I want the chance to hit the ball.’”
Los Gatos banged out 13 hits with freshman Annika Norquist leading the way with three hits and three runs scored. Addie Payne had a two-run double in the fifth and drew three walks, Sara Martin had a two-run triple in the fourth and Alexa Musser and Lynsey Chiala drew two walks apiece. Bean allowed one run in four innings while striking out six. Payne drove in three runs, the first via a walk and the final two on a double. Both of those opportunities came after Bean was intentionally walked.
“I got Addie Payne hitting behind Bean and she’s got just as much power, so I’ll take it,” Frey said.
Frey has been pleased because everyone is contributing, whether it’s as a courtesy runner, fielding, pitching or hitting.
“If we play like we have been playing minus the St. Francis game, we’ll be good,” he said. “We’re playing solid defense, we’re hitting, getting good pitching, it’s a good mix.”
Chiala has been pitching well and four different players have hit home runs through the Mountain View game, a testament to the Wildcats’ power.
“In nine games we’ve hit eight home runs,” Frey said. “That’s a pretty good stat.”
Los Gatos’ 7-6 win over Branham on March 11 was a significant one because the Bruins are a strong A-league team.
“That was a huge victory,” Frey said. “After that win, we came out and scored 10 runs (or more) in each of the next four games, so that victory gave the girls a big jolt of confidence and they played a lot better.”
Not much can be taken from the St. Francis result, other than that the Lancers are playing at a different level. They went 26-0 last season and are currently ranked No. 2 in the nation by Max Preps.
“I’ve never seen a team that good,” Frey said. “They have zero weaknesses. I thought I had good pitching and their pitching was lights-out. Their starter struck out eight of our first nine batters and I thought we had a good hitting team—and I do have a good hitting team—but they’re just at a different level. So I told the girls to flush down that game and to focus back on league because our goal is to win a league championship.”
Outside of the St. Francis game, Bean has pretty much been lights-out in the circle this season. The right-hander utilizes a strong fastball, change-up and her favorite pitch, the riseball. The key for Bean is forgetting the past and focusing on the present.
“You can’t think about what’s already happened,” she said. “So the key for me is getting the next out. …This year’s team is a lot of fun. I’ve been playing with a lot of these girls my whole life, which is really nice.”
Sports editor Emanuel Lee can be reached at el**@we*****.com
