It was time to turn the page from a rough season for the San Marino softball program, and the first chance was a season-opening contest on the road at Rio Hondo Prep on Feb. 27.
The Titans offense exploded early, and San Marino rode the hot start all the way to a 13-8 victory over the host Kares in nonleague action.
“It’s big. It’s always nice to start with a win,” San Marino coach Scott Edmonds said. “We hadn’t won in a year and a half going back to [my] first season. We have a long way to go. We’re rough, but we played well. Anytime you can get a win, it’s a win.”
The teams combined for 19 runs over the first two innings.
San Marino held an 11-2 advantage, but it was cut to a five-run cushion after starting pitcher freshman Vivienne Barcase yielded two four-pitch walks sandwiched around a three-run home run by Kares senior Emma Carson.
Titans freshman Madeline Bilvado took over in the circle, giving the visitors an all-sister battery with senior Sophia Bilvado at catcher. The younger Bilvado gave up two more runs before escaping the inning with a strikeout still up 11-8.
The freshman stayed in the circle the rest of the way, holding Rio Hondo Prep (2-2 overall) scoreless for the final five innings, striking out four, in the season-opening win.
“I thought it was a good way to start off the season, especially because I haven’t been a strong pitcher — like a really big pitcher — in the past,” Madeline Bilvado said.
The experience was a special one for the Bilvados.
“This is actually the first time I have caught my sister, so it’s a really fun experience,” Sophia Bilvado said. “We’ve played travel ball for years, but we never got to play together. This is my last year, so I’m glad I’m getting to play with her one year before college.”
The Titans had their first six batters get on base to start the contest. San Marino junior Kayla Giddings, who would have four stolen bases in the win, led off with an infield single. Titans sophomore Madison No followed with a single to center field, and the elder Bilvado drove them both home with a single to right field for the first runs of the new campaign.
Madeline Bilvado and Lily Mata reached on a hit-by-a-pitch and infield single, respectively. Freshman Sarah Esbenshade then collected two RBIs with a knock to left-center.
The next two San Marino batters got out, but the next five Titans reached base, starting with Barcase on a single to right field that drove in two more runs. Giddings then drew a walk, as did No, who saw a run come across on a wild pitch during the sophomore’s at-bat. Sophia Bilvado drove in her third run of the frame with an infield single, and her sister drew a walk right after loading the bases. The top of the first came to an end when the runner at third stepped off the base.
“Very big first inning,” Edmonds said. “In fact, it was such a blowout I had our runner step off the base and get out on purpose because of sportsmanship. It’s nice of them to host us and have us come here and play at this beautiful facility. It looked like it was going to bite me on the butt there when [the Kares] came back, but overall it was good.”
The Kares offense did come to life, starting with two runs in the bottom of the first. The Titans struck back in the top of the second inning with three more runs. Mata led off with a walk and Esbenshade and Alexandra Hughes hit singles to fill the bases. After an out, Barcase drew a walk to push a run across. Giddings followed with a single up the middle to drive in a run before another came across on a Kares error. The bottom of the inning saw the Kares score six runs.
The final two runs for San Marino came in the top of the third and seventh innings. Sophia Bilvado scored in the third on a wild pitch after she led off the inning with a walk. In the seventh inning, the elder Bilvado, who is tied for the all-time home run record at San Marino, came within feet of claiming the record outright with a loud single that hit halfway up the fence in the left field corner. Instead, she scored the final run of the contest two batters later when Mata smashed a double into left center field.
“It’s really great to start the season off this way,” Sophia Bilvado said. “We came off a tough season last year, as a lot of people know. Even though we didn’t play perfect today, it’s just really good we came out and played the way we did today.”
SAN MARINO 7,
GLENDALE 4
Sophia Bilvado drove in three runs as San Marino defeated the Nitros in a nonleague contest Feb. 29. The senior recorded four hits, including a double and triple, and scored two runs.
No drove in one run, while Hughes, Esbenshade and sophomore Grecia Aguiar each tallied a base hit.
Barcarse struck out four. walked four, and yielded four hits and four runs through five innings. Madeline Bilvado came in for two innings of relief and struck out one batter.
MONROVIA 2,
SAN MARINO 0
The Titans gave up a run in the second and sixth inning in their league opener against the Wildcats.
Madeline Bilvado and Sophia Bilvado both recorded a hit.
Madeline Bilvado tossed six innings in the circle, giving up two hits and two runs (one earned). The freshman struck out three batters and walked two.
San Marino held a 2-1 overall record ahead of its matchup against Rio Hondo League champion Temple City on March 5.
First published in the March 7 issue of the San Marino Tribune
