Los Gatos comes out swinging this spring
Los Gatos baseball coach Mike Minkel sees an improvement in this year's team compared with last season's group, which was impressive in its own right.
A year ago, the Wildcats were 20-8 overall, won the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division title by a whopping five games and earned a No. 4 seed in the Central Coast Section Division I playoffs.
“We feel like we got better in all facets of the game,” Minkel said. “Our pitching staff is better and deeper, our offense is a year more mature. … We're really excited. We have a lot of experience returning at key positions across the board.”
If the Wildcats' two games last week are any indication, Minkel is right.
Los Gatos overwhelmed two nonleague opponents, trouncing Santa Teresa 11-3 and Leigh 17-3 (in five innings). An impressive feat considering both those teams entered this week with winning records.
The Wildcats, with five wins in six games to open the season, return six starters with a plethora of experience, including Carter Johnstone, the reigning Most Valuable Player of the SCVAL De Anza Division. Johnstone batted .464 with four home runs, 29 RBIS, 11 doubles and 39 hits as a junior in the 2023 season, when he was also named first-team all-bay Area News Group.
“His bat-to-ball skills are second to none in the section,” said Minkel about Johnstone, a shortstop who is a Cal State Fullerton signee. “You add his ability to process, the mentality he has, the desire he has to be successful, and the poise
he has to understand situations. He's a leader on the field. … We can play him at any infield spot.”
Other returning firstteam all-de Anza Division players for Los Gatos include outfielder Brayden Smith, second baseman Santino Nanez, first baseman Donovan Freed and pitcher AJ Minyard. Outfielder AJ Ljepava was a second-team selection last season.
Sage Romero has started at third base, while sophomore Brady Simon roams the other outfield spot, with Anthony Andrews and Rowen Smith splitting time at catcher.
Depth is a characteristic of this season's Wildcats team. For example, Justin Mazzaferro and Matt Ludeman are seeing time at first base, while Jayden Thomas and Lucas Carlisle spend innings on the left side of the infield.
Pitching is also a strength. Besides Minyard, Ethan Williams has been impressive as a starter. The pitching corps also include Ludeman, Romero, Andrews, Tre Golino, Matt Ford-wellman and Ryder Reid.
Against Santa Teresa, Williams allowed only one earned run in three innings to start the game, followed by shutout innings from Ludeman, Golino, Fordwellman and Reid.
Offensively, Johnstone, Brayden Smith and Simon all had two hits. Smith drove in three runs, with Johnstone adding two RBIS, as did designated hitter Zach Biller from the leadoff spot in the order.
The Wildcats had a couple of huge outbursts against host Leigh on Saturday, scoring eight runs in the fourth inning and seven more in the fifth.
Mazzaferro, a junior, was 2 for 3 with two runs scored and four RBIS, including a two-run single in the first inning. Nanez was also 2 for 3 with three RBIS, and Ludeman had a double and two RBIS. Ljepava was 2 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI, and Thomas had a double and an RBI in the victory. Minyard and Andrews combined for a fivehitter on the mound, as Minyard struck out five and walked only one in his four innings of work.
Los Gatos hosted Menloatherton on Wednesday after this article was written. The Wildcats travel to face Aptos on Saturday at 11 a.m. before opening SCVAL De Anza Division play at Palo Alto this upcoming Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Softball
Los Gatos opened this season with consecutive victories last week.
To start things off, the Wildcats held on for a 5-4 victory over Leigh on March 5 after the Longhorns nearly erased a 5-0 deficit with a four-run rally in the seventh
inning. Lily Young singled in the first run of the game in the third inning and proceeded to score on an error. Olivia Sickels tripled in the fifth inning, then scored on a foul out by Young.
Los Gatos produced the rest of its runs in the sixth inning. Robyn Young doubled and pinch runner Kaylee Cross advanced to third on a bunt hit by Alexa Musser. Clare Torres reached on an infield hit before Annika Norquist was hit by a pitch to force in a run and Ava Norquist hit an RBI single. A groundout by Sickels produced the final Los Gatos run. Ava Norquist had a one-hitter until the seventh inning and finished with a five-hitter, striking out four.
In a 9-0 victory over visiting Westmont on March 7, Los Gatos pushed across seven runs in the second inning. Sickels finished 3 for 4 with an inside-the-park home run, a double and four RBIS. Grace Tucker drove in two runs in the win, while Ava Norquist and Sophia Krish combined for a threehit shutout in the circle.