The Gunn Titans won their first league game of the season with a 15-1 victory against the visiting Fremont Firebirds (1-7, 0-2, SCVAL-EC) Wednesday afternoon.
After concluding her final high school basketball season, pitcher Claire Klausner dominated the circle to help the Titans (3-5, 1-1) get the win.
After a slow, scoreless first inning, the Titans took charge when they went up to bat in the bottom of the second. Freshman outfielder Emma Wager hit a single past Fremont’s shortstop Monica Nakamatsu that was followed by freshman catcher Katie Garvey’s single to left field. A drop by the Firebird catcher led to Wager and Garvey advancing to third and second, respectively.
Walking senior outfielder Roya Huang on a full count loaded the bases and brought sophomore second baseman Natalie Oda to the plate. Oda’s single past the Fremont shortstop into center field brought Wager, Garvey, and Huang home to make it 3-0. Later in the inning, a double to center field by first baseman Casey Maltz brought home Huang and Klausner. The second inning ended with Gunn holding onto a five-run lead.
Fremont and Gunn each scored one run in the third inning. In the top of the third, Nakamatsu hit a single past third base, and a double by a Fremont outfielder past Gunn shortstop senior Laura Tao brought Nakamatsu home to score the first run for her team.
For the Titans, a second-base steal and double to left field by Garvey brought home Wager, who hit a single down center field, home.
The Titans weren’t finished yet. In the bottom of the fourth, Gunn scored nine runs to extend their lead. Oda and freshman third baseman Anna Tevanian were walked, and Oda eventually scored on a double to left field by Maltz, while sophomore Iris Chin’s double to center field brought Tevanian home. Tao and junior outfielder Natalie Mackraz each hit a single, while Wager, junior outfielder Lucy Oyer (who replaced Huang) and Tevanian each hit doubles. Klausner hit the only home run of the game, bringing Tao home.
In the top of the fourth, Klausner struck out two Fremont players in just six pitches. In total, she struck out seven, two of them on full counts.
