SAN JOSE, CA — For a team with as much history, prestige and success as the Notre Dame-Salinas High softball team — a Central Coast Section record 14 titles — it was a pair of the Spirits' youngest players that made the biggest impact Tuesday.
Freshman Alexia Torculas provided the game-winning RBI triple and fellow freshman Vanessa Gonzalez threw a complete game four-hit shutout as the top-seeded Spirits defeated No. 4 seed Notre Dame-Belmont 1-0 in a CCS D-III semifinal game at PAL Stadium.
“Alexia is a driving machine and she has speed,” said Spirits coach Tom Cardinale. “It was all about giving her a pitch she can drive and it was gonna be a double or a triple. We weren't thinking small at that point.”
Torculas drove in Kaeli Bush who singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh.
Torculas took very little credit and passed it onto her teammates.
“I don't think it was my hit that was most important,” she said. “It was my team staying together the whole entire time. I just put the cherry on top.”
The Spirits (24-5), who are seeking their third straight CCS D-III title, will face the winner of today's game between No. 3 Scotts Valley (22-5) and No. 2 Santa Catalina (17-5), on Saturday at PAL Stadium at a time to be determined.
Through six innings Gonzalez only gave up one hit — a leadoff single by Danica Kazakoff to start the game — and was in command without striking out a single batter.
“My curve was working good and my drop was there,” said Gonzalez. “It feels great because getting to the (CCS finals) was our goal; now we just need to win it.”
Gonzalez was able to out-duel Tigers senior Lindsey Mifsud who threw all 6 and 1/3 innings while giving up five hits, walking two, striking out three and whose only mistake was a that changeup that Torculas drove into left-center.
“She waited on it and drove it,” said Mifsud of Torculas' hit. “It felt good leaving my hand and I felt like it was a good pitch. I tip my cap to her.”
The Tigers (19-13) had a chance to score the first runs of the game as Sofia Magnani, Mifsud and Olivia Geronimo each got singles in the top of the seventh with two outs.
Tigers coach Tara Van Meter took a chance and sent Magnani home from second on Geronimo's shot to centerfield but Spirits centerfielder Marisa Given was able to throw out Magnani to keep the score knotted 0-0.
“This team has got this thing, they will not die, they will not give up, they will not stop,” said Cardinale of his team. “When the game is on the line that's when we get stronger.”
The Tigers will graduate four seniors all of whom were starters this year, including Mifsud.
“We really worked really well together as a team this year,” said Mifsud. “In the past we had one or two central players that put the team on their back. This year it was really spread out and a team effort. Definitely felt like we left it out on the field today.”
