Preps of the week: Redwood softball standout piling up strikeouts
Baseball and softball have both been recently added to the prep sports mix during this most unusual, coronavirus-altered campaign. Softball pitchers from Redwood and Marin Catholic wasted no time making their impressions felt, dominating in the first week of that season.
Elsewhere, a pair of Tam baseball standouts took turns putting up monster numbers during a three-game series against Drake. Tam’s top tennis player continued to roll through the league with an unblemished record.
On the gridiron, a pair of Terra Linda teammates connected on a late, game-winning touchdown. Runnings backs from Marin Catholic and San Marin continued to post huge numbers.
Sadie Leonard, Redwood softball
The MCAL season officially started last Wednesday and Leonard took top billing in the marquee matchup of the day. Leonard pitched a complete game, going eight innings and striking out 12 as Redwood edged San Rafael 2-1. Leonard was only just getting warmed up, however, piling up 16 more strikeouts in a 5-1 win against San Marin on Friday. Leonard struck out 28 batters while allowing just three hits in 15 innings of work across the two games.
Tommy Hayes and Jack Brody, Terra Linda football
Locked in a 17-17 battle in the final minute against Novato on Saturday, Terra Linda needed to convert a fourth down from Novato’s 40 to keep its drive alive. Hayes and Brody did much better than that. Hayes avoided some initial pressure, rolled out to his right and threw a ball about 40 yards in the air. Brody caught the pass around the 2-yard line and evaded a pair of Hornets en route to scoring the game winning touchdown.
Jamilah Karah, Tam tennis
Karah, Tam’s No. 1 singles player, continued her strong season with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Terra Linda’s En-Ya Zhang — a top player in her own right — last week. Karah followed that up with another 6-1, 6-1 win over Redwood No. 1 Georgia Harms. The Red-tailed Hawks are off to a 6-0 start this season and have won 41 of those matches against just one loss.
Tucker Bougie, Tam baseball
The Cal signee had a trio of big games for Tam last week, starting with a two-homer game in an 8-1 victory against Drake on Tuesday. Bougie, also the starting pitcher that game, tossed six shutout innings while striking out eight Pirates. Bougie had three hits and scored five runs in the second meeting between the teams then played a big role in the final matchup. Bougie went 2 for 3 with a walk at the plate before coming into the game in the seventh inning and striking out the side to earn the save.
Matteo Bellisimo, Tam baseball
Tam put up 20 runs in the second game against Drake and Bellisimo was all over the place, hitting for the cycle and driving in eight runs. Even more impressively, Bellisimo’s home run was a grand slam.
Annabel Teperson, Marin Catholic softball
Another Cal signee, Teperson pitched a complete game with 11 strikeouts against San Rafael on Tuesday. Teperson also helped herself out at the place, picking up two hits and an RBI. Teperson then combined with teammate Rose Malen to one-hit Tam on Wednesday in a five-inning, 14-0 victory.
Justin Guin, San Marin football
Guin ran for 178 yards and accounted for the decisive touchdown in the biggest game of the week, helping San Marin hold off Redwood, 21-14, on Saturday. Guin’s 44-yard touchdown run in the third quarter gave San Marin a lead it would not relinquish.
Matteo Perez, Marin Catholic football
Perez was as dynamic as ever, averaging more than 10 yards per carry to lead the Wildcats to a big win against Tam on Saturday. Perez carried the ball 18 times for 184 yards and scored three touchdowns of 41, 5 and 44 yards, respectively.