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You could say that the Berkeley High softball team got a “victry” against Amador Valley on Tuesday afternoon. That is, the ’Jackets may well have scored a victory, if they hadn’t been missing an “o.” 

The much-maligned Yellowjacket offense managed to scatter some baserunners, but couldn’t manufacture them into runs, and the Dons broke the 0-0 deadlock with a four-run surge in the eighth inning. With the defeat, Berkeley dropped to 1-8 on the league season. 

“It was our first time in league going extra innings. The whole game was close,” Berkeley High coach Elena Bermeo said. “Two costly errors ended up being the difference – we had solid defense through the seventh inning.” 

Lillia Bermeo started the game for Berkeley, and pitched seven innings of shutout ball before allowing four runs – only two earned – in the top half of the eighth. Amador Valley’s first batter of the inning reached on an error to start the rally, and a double, a triple and another error broke the score wide open. Though Jessica Kline got BHS started in the bottom of the inning with a double, she would ultimately be stranded on second.  

The BHS starter finished the game with eight strikeouts – six more than her Amador Valley counterpart. Bermeo’s battery-mate, Alice Brugger, had an outstanding game behind the plate, throwing out an Amador baserunner at second and picking another off first. 

“Everyone came in concentrated on the game,” Brugger said. “We wanted to win, and we knew we could. I think it was mental. We could have picked it up a little more.” 

“We had a lot of girls on base, but somehow we couldn’t get them in,” Elena Bermeo added. “It was definitely a better effort than last time (against the Dons) because we actually got on base. I don’t mind the loss, as much, because we did hold them.” 

Tuesday’s game marked the first date in Berkeley’s second round of East Bay Athletic League play. The Yellowjackets continue the league season this Thursday against Monte Vista – the one EBAL team they have already defeated this season. According to the BHS coach, the matchup with the Mustangs is a golden opportunity for her squad to gain some confidence going into the final stretch of the 2000 campaign. 

“Hopefully, (the Amador Valley game) is behind us,” she said. “We talked about it after the game, and I told them we can still pull out .500 if we can win these games.” 

Today’s first pitch is slated for 3:45 p.m. at the Mustangs’ home field.