Los Amigos softball ‘making big strides,’ but drops key game to Loara
The Los Amigos High softball program had a couple of lean years coming out of the coronavirus pandemic, so when the season began, the coaching staff was not setting goals in the form of wins and losses.
After going consecutive seasons without a league win, the Lobos retooled their thinking, aiming to get better with each passing day.
Although Los Amigos fell to Loara 11-4 in a Garden Grove League game at home on Friday, there have been more good days than bad this season for the Lobos.
“We had three returning starters and five returning total on the team, and our goal from day one is just to get better every day,” Jeff Holley, the second-year coach of the Lobos, said. “That way, you can never stop. I never want to say we’re going to win [a certain number of] games this year.
“As soon as you do that, then you relax. No, every single day, we’re going to get better. Then every day, I come out, and I say, ‘Hey, we still need to attain that goal.’ That’s how I march.”
Los Amigos (7-5-1, 3-3 in the Garden Grove League), ranked seventh in the CIF Southern Section Division 7 poll, has seemingly found a way to turn the page after the bad days. The Lobos have yet to suffer back-to-back losses at any point this season.
That statistic might prove quite relevant as the Lobos look to keep their playoff hopes alive in the second half of the home-and-home set with Loara (4-8, 3-2) on Monday.
“It’s a big game because you have to win that game to probably be in a tie for third place,” Holley said. “If it doesn’t happen, it’s not the end of the world. This school hasn’t won a league game in three years. Right now, we’re making big strides.”
Prior to this season, Los Amigos’ last league victory came in a 13-3 blowout of Bolsa Grande on April 22, 2019.
The Lobos took a 2-0 lead right away, getting run-scoring singles from Nathalie Gonzalez and Maria Castillo in the bottom of the first. It came after Gonzalez stranded the bases loaded with a strikeout of Sarah Puentes in the top half of the frame.
Gonzalez would not be so fortunate in the second. She hit three batters in the inning — including catcher Sina Finai twice. Sierra Ponce singled to center to drive in two runs, one of two balls to leave the infield before five runs had come across for the Saxons.
Loara hitters had just one run batted in the rest of the way, but aggressive base running — accompanied by five errors by the Lobos — saw the Saxons tack on six runs after the second inning, during which they sent 11 hitters to the plate.
Middle infielders Crystal Carrillo and Liliana Rodriguez combined to go seven for nine with four runs scored and two runs batted in for Loara. Rayleen Pacheco and Desteny Saucedo each added two hits.
“I’m so proud of [Carrillo],” said Rodriguez, who had a game-high four hits, including two doubles. “She’s actually a freshman, and she usually doesn’t play second, so I’m really proud of her. She’s like my best friend, so I was really happy to be playing alongside her today.”
Gonzalez led the Lobos with two hits. Valerie Villa, Anais Alarcon and Castillo each had one.
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