Sports

Streaking Tam Softball Team Two Wins from MCAL Title

Justin-Siena poses a major roadblock in Friday's MCAL playoffs semifinals in a matchup that features a classic showdown between slugger Hailey Breakwell and Hawks ace Kim Scarsella.

softball coach calls his team's performance against Justin-Siena last week “our best game of the year.”

But here’s the troubling part: The Red-tailed Hawks had to rally twice just to win that game 5-4.

So when the two powerful softball teams meet again Friday at Albert Park in the Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) playoffs, Wills realizes his team is going to have to be at its best – or maybe better – to finish on the winning end this time.

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And he’s confident that can happen.

“We’re on a roll right now,” he assured. “We’re playing excellent softball, so I’m looking forward to it.”

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Tam trailed the Napa club 3-0 and then 4-3 last Tuesday, eventually scoring the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning when raced home on a flyball.

That allowed the Hawks to split the season series with the hot-hitting Braves.

“Justin-Siena is probably one of the best hitting teams in the league. I was happy holding them to four runs,” Wills said. “They’ve scored the most runs in the league this year. And they have the (reigning) Player of the Year. We should have pitched around her, but we didn’t.

“Things will be different this time.”

That player is shortstop Hailey Breakwell. Her matchups with Pitcher of the Year candidate  could be classics in the 4 p.m. game … if Wills allows them to occur.

But this game is about more than just one showdown, Wills assures.

“We’re peaking at the right time,” he said of a team that won six in a row to earn a first-round bye in the playoffs.

“This is nothing new to us," he said. "Since I’ve been here, we’ve peaked at this time every year.”


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