With just two winning seasons in the past decade, no one is confusing Gunderson High with any of the softball powerhouse programs in the Central Coast Section. But the Grizzlies are off to a 5-0 start this season, and are trending upward with a very talented group of freshmen leading the way.
Head coach John Drake actually starts six freshmen and two sophomores in his lineup, and they are all big reasons why Gunderson has outscored its five opponents 56-11, off to a perfect start in West Valley action. The Grizzlies are looking to extend the streak this Tuesday at San Jose High.
“I feel the sky is the limit for this group. Our goal is to win league this year, and move this group up to the ‘B league,” Drake said. “That’s the level we want to compete at. We also want to keep developing the program, to go beyond this class, and beyond the next four years.”
Drake’s daughter, Jordyn, has been at the heart of the six freshmen thriving for the Grizzlies. She has allowed just three earned runs in 29 innings pitched, for a 0.72 ERA, with 21 strikeouts. And like the rest of the young group, her game is equally effective at the plate, where she is batting .438 with a home run. She is also a multi-sport varsity athlete on the Gunderson campus.
Jordyn Drake played junior varsity volleyball in the fall, but played on her dad’s varsity basketball team in the winter, creating a quick transition to the softball season.
“She loves playing all her sports, and is a great student as well, really into her academic success,” the elder Drake said. “She started pitching on her 10 year old team, and just ended up sticking with it. It was never planned before that.”
Already unique by her commitment to the multi-sport approach, Drake has also shunned numerous opportunities to join ‘A’ ball travel teams, sticking with the Almaden Valley Softball League. This past summer, her all-star team actually beat a number of ‘A’ ball teams in tournaments, showing the future potential of the girls coming from that program.
That includes catcher Angela Anderson, who played with Drake at Almaden Valley, and is hitting .417 to start this season, while having perfectly handled all 21 chances for put-outs or assists behind the plate, also having thrown out two runners.
The freshmen class has also benefited from the inclusion of two elite travel ball players, first baseman Angela Futch and shortstop Kiya Sandoval. Both played last spring for the San Jose Synergy, and both have made an immediate impact for the Grizzlies. Futch is hitting .500 with two home runs and 10 RBI in the first five games, while Sandoval is batting .611 with seven doubles.
“I knew (Angela) was coming in to our program, and I knew she was going to be good,” Drake said. “Sandoval is a stud, the kind of player you know is going to be good before you even see her play. Everything she does – fielding, throwing, hitting – she is fun to watch.”
Isabel Montalvo and Alyssa De Leon are two other freshmen creating the immediate change in the program, with Montalvo hitting .600 in the first five games. Meanwhile, sophomores Aiyanna Cruz and Arianna Pimentel round out the young group. Cruz has been on fire to start the season, batting an incredible .938 with a team-high 12 runs scored, while Pimentel is batting .750 with eight RBI.
“It’s been just luck to get all these girls together,” Drake said. “In the past, that has not been the case at Gunderson.”
The West Valley plays a triple round-robin schedule in league play. Gunderson faces San Jose and Del Mar this week to complete the first time through the schedule, before starting round two with Andrew Hill next week.
Carlmont living up to early billing
After falling in last year’s Division 1 title game to San Benito, Carlmont has been considered by many as a trendy pick to make a run this season. So far, the Scots are living up to those early projections.
After starting the season with tense victories over Pioneer and Presentation, Carlmont has rolled to five straight wins, outscoring Capuchino, Terra Nova, Burlingame, Mountain View, and Los Altos by a combined score of 56-1. The last four games have all been shutout victories.
Senior Cameron Kondo has led the way at the plate, hitting .650 with three home runs and 11 RBI, while freshman Amanda Kondo appears ready to carry on the tradition, batting .562 with three home runs to start the year. Juniors Mailey McLemore and Abygail Lan have also been explosive at the plate, while both have a 3-0 record in the circle.
This Friday features a showdown at St. Ignatius, which has won its first nine games this season.
Wildcats riding strong arm of Augusto
Off to a 9-0 start, St. Ignatius has enjoyed the dominant presence of junior Madie Augusto in the circle, with six complete-game shutouts to her credit already in 2017.
Augusto has allowed just two earned runs in 56 innings pitched, for a 0.25 ERA, while striking out 88 batters. The junior has also displayed power at the plate, with a team-high two home runs and 13 RBI. Senior Sophie Gomozias and sophomores Maicie Levitt and Madison Gunn have also paced the lineup, combining for 38 hits and 28 RBI.
Showdown in San Jose
Archbishop Mitty may have lost its early showdown with unbeaten Notre Dame-Salinas, but the Monarchs get another shot at an early statement on Tuesday afternoon, hosting Queen of the Mountain champion and perennial NCS powerhouse Amador Valley.
Mitty has big wins over San Benito, Leigh, and Monta Vista under its belt, but a win over the Dons would be an early signature victory.
That’s just the afternoon feature on the Mitty campus. Come 7 pm, the Monarchs’ girls basketball team takes on St. Mary’s-Stockton in the CIF Open Division regional semifinals.
Prep2Prep adult contributor Harold Abend will be updating and reporting on both big games at Mitty.
