By Ryan Erickson
Sports Editor
With a winning percentage of .500, the Mira Costa softball team traveled to Buena Park on March 20 feeling that it had something to prove. The Mustangs did just that by shutting out Buena Park with a score of 16-0 and improving their record to 4-3.
“We came out swinging today, and we started pounding the ball from the first through the sixth inning,” coach Dick Amberik said. “Overall, solid all around effort from the girls today.”
Senior captain Katie Saunders started at catcher for her 30th- consecutive game and had a single in her only plate appearance against Buena Park, but, she left the game in the second inning due to exhaustion from running the L.A. Marathon.
Her backup, junior Nikki Gialketsis, filled in admirably for the three-year starter. By going three for three with five runs batted in, two runs scored, a triple and a grand slam in the third inning. Gialketsis’s performance broke the game open for the Mustangs in the third inning when the score was still close at 1-0.
“It was a really awesome experience hitting my first home run as a varsity player,” Gialketsis said. “The whole team felt really good today when we came out to the field and our confidence showed in the box score.”
Senior shortstop Meghan von Behren also had a good day at the plate, matching Gialketsis’ five runs batted in and adding three hits of her own to the scoring barrage that Mira Costa piled on Buena Park.
“Today was really needed for us as a team because we wanted to go out and prove to ourselves and everyone else that we are a great team,” Von Behren said. “We are really happy with this win.”
Senior pitcher Breanna Kelly led the team on defense by throwing six shutout innings, which was her third shutout of the year and helped bring her overall record to 4-1 for the season. She credits her success this season to the stellar defense of the fielders behind her.
“I’m hoping that the game we played today is a sign of good things to come for the rest of the year; we have a ton of returning starters, and we all love playing together,” Kelly said.
Amberik said his team is ready for the upcoming Katella Tournament, in which the Mustangs placed third last year, starting on March 25 against a team that has not been determined yet.
“We’re only 13 days away from starting Bay League play, so we’re trying to determine the nine players who will be out there playing. We’re trying to give everyone an equal opportunity to go out there and win a starting spot in the lineup. We want to see what everyone’s got on this squad,” Amberik said.
Amberik also feels that with the schedule that he has compiled for his team that it will prepare them for the tougher games to come later in the year and the playoffs.
“We play great defense, the competition we’re facing is very good and the girls have good chemistry when they’re out there on the field,” Amberik said. “My predictions are that we are going to be a very successful team throughout this season.”
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