Vela, Mustangs stun Golden Hawks
| Monday, Apr 27 2009 11:23 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Apr 28 2009 10:01 AM
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Michael Fagans / The Californian Stockdale's Justine Vela pitched a solid game for the Mustangs during their game at Centennial on Monday afternoon in Bakersfield.
Michael Fagans / The Californian Centennial's Sam Saenz catches the ball as Stockdale's Ilyssa Espiritu tries to get safely to second base during their game at Centennial on Monday afternoon in Bakersfield.
Michael Fagans / The Californian Centennial's Katy Ermigarat, left, watches as teammates Sam Saenz and Nikki Sawyer converge to catch a fly ball during their home game against Stockdale on Monday afternoon in Bakersfield. Saenz caught the ball for the out.
The hard-throwing ace was on her game, the lineup was opportunistic and the defense spic and span. Another day at the office for the SWYL's leading softball team.
But wait: The ace was Stockdale sophomore Justine Vela, not Centennial's Florida-bound senior Ensley Gammel. And it was the young Mustangs who earned a 4-0 victory at Centennial and took control of the league race.
"I've known they've always had it in them," Stockdale coach Amanda Hockett said.
Centennial had whipped Stockdale, 15-0, two weeks ago at the Best of the West tournament in Santa Maria. But, as Hockett was quick to point out after this one, Vela didn't pitch in the tournament game.
"I didn't want to give them a chance to see Justine," Hockett said. "It obviously helped in this game. The less you see a pitcher, the better it is for the pitcher."
The sophomore was sensational. She struck out the side in the first inning and wound up with 11 Ks against the Golden Hawks' powerful lineup. She allowed just three hits, retired nine in a row at one point and went to a three-ball count on just two batters, walking one.
"I just wanted to keep the ball down," Vela said. "Stay on top of the count and trust my defense."
Gammel didn't pitch poorly for Centennial (19-4-1, 5-2 SWYL) by any means. She struck out eight and walked three, but Stockdale (14-7-1, 6-1) made the most of each of its eight hits.
In the first, Ilyssa Espiritu led off with an infield single, stole second, moved to third on a groundout and then scored on Victoria Valos' infield single.
"We've just had such a mental block with Ensley," Hockett said. "Having such a young team, they were just defeated stepping into the box. We knew we had it in us, it was just getting past that mental block.
Espiritu, who was 4-for-4, bounced a two-out single up the middle to drive home two more runs in the fourth.
"She's one of the girls that stays positive and keeps everyone up," Vela said of Espiritu. "We can really count on her."
And now the Mustangs can think big -- big as in an SWYL title (they now have a one-game lead) or big as in some playoff victories for team that has just one senior on the roster, and none in the starting lineup.
"We've just kind of turned that leaf of realizing we can beat good teams," Hockett said. "As long as we can put the ball in play, I think Justine can keep us in any game we play."
And as for Centennial? The Hawks, the defending Division I Central Section champions, have some thinking to do after a once-dominant season has turned a bit sour with two league losses in the past week.
"The majority of this year's team is last year's team, so it'd be an excuse to say something's different," Centennial coach Jayna Chapman said. "Our girls just need to work together and be confident and do what they've been doing. We just haven't done that this last week."
Stockdale 4, Centennial 0
W--Vela (12-4-1). L--Gammel. Records--Stockdale (14-7-1, 6-1 SWYL), Centennial (19-4-1, 5-2).
FS, JV--Stockdale d. Centennial.
