On Saturday morning the Wilcox Chargers lost a pair of games to kick off the Los Gatos-Saratoga Tournament. However, despite the losses, the Chargers scored six runs in each game. Combined with the eight runs they put up on the board in their previous contest, the bats are clearly plugged in.
“I was just thinking about staying in my zone and staying within myself,” said Chargers’ catcher Adriana Martinez on her 3-run home run in the bottom of the first inning against Half Moon Bay. “I was trying not to get to big and just do what I know I can do with the ball.”
“I think good things are coming for us,” added Martinez despite her team’s early season struggles. “We just have to keep working hard, mark my words, good things are coming when league starts, guaranteed.”
Martinez threw out multiple runners in the 9-6 loss to Half Moon Bay. However, the first attempted steal was stolen without a throw as the Chargers’ infielders didn’t communicate that the runner was in motion.
“We’re just working on our defense and trying to get all three of those aspects, hitting, defense and pitching working together,” said Wilcox Head Coach Vanessa Chagoya. “We had some people in new positions and we addressed that it’s not an excuse, it’s another role you need to play with the team. Girls need to be ready to play anywhere.”
“It is all coming together, the girls are turning the corner,” added the skipper. “This was by far our best game that we played thus far, against a really good team too.”
Against Half Moon Bay, the Chargers gave up the first run of the game in the top of the first, but went on to take leads of 4-1, 5-3 and 6-5. In addition to Martinez’s big knock in the first, cleanup hitter Ameryss Meza delivered clutch RBI hits in each of the first two innings. In the second inning she extended the Chargers’ 4-3 lead to 5-3, with a two-out, RBI single.
“She’s growing and maturing every day,” remarked coach Chagoya on Meza. “It’s fun to watch her, but I told her from the beginning that I was going to be hard on her. She had the day off from catching today, but she’s our horse back there. At the plate she’s been doing a great job at staying mentally focused in the moment.”
Wilcox would end up losing their league opener against Milpitas on Tuesday, falling by the slimmest of margins, 4-3. The Chargers will try again for their first win of the season on Thursday, March 21 when they host Los Gatos.
