By: Abby Coven

News Editor 

Hats off to the LGHS Girls’ Varsity Softball team, who won the De Anza League. Ranked 41st in the state and third in the Central Coast Section (CCS), the Wildcats headed to the CCS Championships after winning 14 games by more than six runs this season and maintaining a 12-0 record in league play. 

The varsity team lost only its second game in the season to Valley Christian High School on May 4. Then they bounced back with four wins against Saratoga High School, Los Altos, Homestead, and Mountain View. They beat Saratoga 6-3, with junior Cate Zeman scoring two hits. Junior Kendall Feichtmeir also scored two runs and stole one base.

When the Wildcats beat Los Altos on May 8 with a score of 11-2, junior Ava Norquist struck out seven batters over six innings. With her 0.457 batting average, senior Grace Tucker had two runs, three runs batted in (RBI), and one stolen base. Senior Olivia Sickels leads the team with 11 stolen bases, one run, three RBIs, and a stolen base. 

The girls went head-to-head with Homestead, winning 8-1 in their last away league game on May 13. Senior Tessa Lilienstein and junior Haley Betti carried the team with two RBIs each. Junior Danica DeSantis also shone with two hits out of her three at-bats. Norquist earned a perfect 0.0 earned run average (ERA) over the six innings she pitched and hasn’t given up more than two walks in 12 consecutive appearances. 

On May 11, Tucker, with her coaches by her side, celebrated her commitment to Dominican University of California at the LGHS Signing Day. In addition to Tucker’s commemoration, the team’s last home game was on May 15. The Wildcats hosted Mountain View, winning 6-0, and honored this year’s graduates with a special Senior Night. Sophomore Alyshia Laplante’s speech to senior Lilienstein highlighted core memories and her strong contributions to the team. Junior Meredith Harris and Zeman addressed the major impact senior Kylynne Cook had on the season. During the game, Norquist pitched a no-hitter. Sickels went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two doubles.

Tucker finished the season with 37 runs, 43 hits, and 41 RBIs. Feichtmeir had a season on-base percentage of 0.472, and Norquist’s earned run average was 1.40. As for home runs, DeSantis had a season high of six, and Tucker had five. This season, Sickels had 13 total stolen bases along with 33 runs.

The team’s season comes to a close, ending with an incredible 24-2 record. The Wildcats continue to be CCS-bound; playoffs started on May 23, and the top two teams face off on May 30. Their first game is on May 21. against Mitty. Through their incredible season, this historic team has so many things to celebrate.