Mustang girls beat back challenge from Technology

St. Vincent continued to distance itself from the field in the North Central League II softball race by pounding second-place Technology 10-6 in a free-swinging game Friday in Rohnert Park. The defending champion Lady Mustangs never trailed, and ripped 19 hits in the game played on the Technology Junior High diamond.

St. Vincent improved to 6-0 in the NCL II while the dangerous Lady Titans fell three games out at 4-3. It was the second win for the Mustangs over Technology, but just like the first meeting, it wasn’t easy.

Technology kept its line moving in the bottom of the sixth inning, when the Lady Titans loaded the bases to bring up the potential tying run against freshman pitcher Sully Henry. The Mustang coaching staff decided to go the distance with Henry who kept most of her pitches low and around the zone most of the afternoon.

“I asked her how she felt, and she said that she felt strong,” explained St. Vincent coach Don Jensen. “We knew that they had their toughest batters coming up, but that didn’t bother her today.”

Henry had her finest hour as a Mustang when she blew away lusty hitting Morgan Cummesky (.600) and Kailie Zwinge (.512) on strikes. The strikeout of Zwinge was especially noteworthy because the junior shortstop had tripled to deep right field in her previous at bat.

Henry didn’t take complete credit for a change-up pitch that buckled the knees of the big swinger. “Coach called that one from the bench,” she said. “Most of the time he can see things in opposing player’s swings that call for a change-up. This one really worked, and she took a bad cut on the last ball up.”

Many of the Mustang followers felt that Henry was the victim of a very tight strike zone, but most of her pitches were low, and the Technology hitters could not drive them. She also got a very strong effort from her catcher Katelyn De la Montanya who stopped anything close and didn’t allow Technology any extra bases.

“Katelyn has been getting better each week,” noted Jensen. “She has been working hard on balls in the dirt, and it showed today.”

Leading the hit parade for the afternoon was junior third baseman Haley Antonini who banged out three hits and had four RBIs. Antonini has 25 RBIs for the season to pace the Lady Mustangs. De la Montanya also had three hits for St. Vincent while Henry added a pair.

The Lady Mustangs will face Calistoga (4-2) in league play at home on Friday afternoon. On Saturday, St. Vincent will get another test when it hosts St. Joseph of Alameda at 1 o’clock on the campus diamond.

The Pilots (9-9) represent a strong wing in Division V play in the East Bay, and recently defeated St. Mary’s of Albany. St. Joseph dropped a 5-1 decision to Clear Lake in the Division V title game last season.