San Marino senior Sophia Bilvado belted two home runs in a nonleague softball showdown against Alhambra on April 2, breaking the school record in homers in a 27-14 victory over the Moors through five innings.
“This is a huge accomplishment and I’m very proud of myself, but I don’t want to make it about myself,” the senior catcher said. “I am proud of myself, but it’s a team sport, so I take it as a team accomplishment. I wouldn’t be able to be in that position if it weren’t for my teammates.
“I feel like we’ve put in so much work, and I’ve put in so much work my whole softball career to get to this moment. It’s big for me because it’s taken a lot of work. … I don’t want to get stuck on the stats and be like ‘oh, I’m No. 1 and ahead of everybody else.’ I don’t want it to be like that. I just want it to be another step in my career and if I can, I want to work to be better than this.”
The four-year varsity player has homered a record 12 times through 64 games played. She smashed six home runs in her sophomore year in the 2021-22 season, and two every other spring.
“Sophia is best known for her outstanding hitting, but she is also arguably the best defensive catcher to ever play at SMHS,” Titans coach Scott Edmonds told the Tribune.
The senior finished 4-for-5 with four RBIs, a double and four runs scored to go along with a pair of homers against the Moors.
Titans freshman Sarah Esbenshade also slugged a home run and finished 2-for-5 with an RBI and four runs scored. San Marino junior Alexandra Hughes went 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles, six RBIs, four runs and six stolen bases and Titans junior Elizabeth Esbenshade hit a double and finished 2-for-5, driving in four runs and scoring three herself.
San Marino sophomore Grecia Aguiar batted in a run and scored three, senior Nadia Escobar finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs and sophomore Madison No finished 2-for-2 with a double, an RBI and five runs scored to go along with six stolen bases.
Titans freshman Vivienne Barcarse drove one runner in at the plate, and scattered 12 hits, allowed 10 runs (seven earned) one walk and five strikeouts across five innings pitched. Meanwhile, San Marino freshman Madeline Bilvado walked two and allowed two walks and four runs (two earned) and went 1-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored.
The Titans get back into action on Tuesday, April 16, in a Rio Hondo League game at home against Temple City. It will be a short turnaround for San Marino after the battle against the Rams as the Titans take on La Cañada on the road Wednesday, April 17.
San Marino softball is 4-10 overall and 0-8 in the Rio Hondo League.
First published in the April 11 issue of the San Marino Tribune
