While the Wildcats may not have perfect, they were good enough to post a couple of wins to open play in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League. And the wins came after a couple of weeks of solid practice.

Los Gatos had opened the year with back-to-back losses—to Valley Christian 9-0 and Leland 7-3—to face an early exit from the Mission City Classic Tournament, but it gave the Wildcats a chance to prepare for the league season.,

"We practiced pretty hard," said first-year head coach Brad Sanfilippo. And the practice seemed to pay off right away in the league opener against Cupertino on March 10.

Los Gatos pulled out a come-from-behind 9-6 win over the Pioneers, then backed that up with a 10-1 victory over Milpitas.

The two wins evened Gatos' record at 2-2 heading into a tough week against Fremont, Palo Alto and Wilcox. The Cats were to host the Firebirds on Monday and will visit Paly on March 17 and title-favorite Wilcox on March 19 in a couple of 3:30 p.m. games.

"We're a little young and it's going to be interesting to see how we play," said Sanfilippo, a former Wildcat himself who coached at Willow Glen last spring.

"It was nice to get a couple of wins under our belts, especially coming from behind against Cupertino like we did," he said.

It was a see-saw battle for the Cats and Pioneers last Wednesday, and Cupertino grabbed the upper hand by taking a 6-4 lead in the fifth.

But the Cats rallied for five runs in the top of the sixth to move in front 9-6.

Sophomore Mike Gault singled and stole second, then moved to third when Derek Thomas reached on an error by the center fielder. Marty Mullins walked and Justin Schafer followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to knock in a run.

Dan Politi was hit by a pitch before Russ Laubach stepped up as a pinch hitter. He lined a shot over the second baseman's head that rolled all the way to the fence for a bases-clearing triple.

"It was a shot," said Sanfilippo of the blast that gave the Cats the lead.

Logan Schafer followed with a double down the right field line to drive home an insurance run.

That was all the cushion Kyle Jensen needed. The senior hurler got the next six outs to nail the mound win with a complete game. He threw just 92 pitches, giving up five hits, a walk and two hit batsmen. Jensen struck out two.

"He threw real well," said Sanfilippo. "We expect him to be our No. 1 guy this year."

Jeremy Bays had two doubles and a triple and Gault belted three hits against the Pioneers. Nick Perrone added two hits, Laubach had the triple, L. Schafer doubled and Michael Brienzo and Thomas each singled.

"Offensively, we've been happy with what we've been doing," said Sanfilippo. The Cats had 24 hits in the two wins last week.

Politi and L. Schafer had three hits apiece and J. Schafer singled and doubled to knock in two runs for the Cats in the 10-1 win over Milpitas.

Gatos jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first when Politi and L. Schafer each singled and Laubach delivered a two-run single.

That was all Thomas needed. The junior southpaw allowed just six hits and a walk over six innings and he struck out four.

"He's really worked hard," said Sanfilippo of Thomas. "I've been nothing but impressed with Derek and the way he's been making improvements in the 'pen."

Bays finished up on the mound for the Cats, getting the Trojans on a strikeout and two ground outs in the seventh.

Laubach had the two-run double in the win over Milpitas and Perrone, Jensen and Kyle Blair also singled. Gault and Mullins each drove in runs.

The Wildcats are young this year with a couple of juniors and three sophomores in the starting nine.

With Gault in left field, Mullins at catcher and J. Schafer at third base, the Cats have three sophs playing every day. Jensen is a senior starter at short, but when he's on the mound J. Schafer takes over the position and either Bays, a junior, or Laubach, a senior, starts at third.

Politi is a returning starter at second base with L. Schafer in center field and Perrone in right. They join Jensen and Laubach, who also will see action at first and as the designated hitter, as the only senior starters for the Cats.

Thomas is a junior who plays first base when he's not pitching, and Bays with pitch and play the outfield when he's not at third.

Brienzo is a junior who should see considerable playing time for the Cats and Blair is a top prospect as a freshman.

"He's a guy we're going to count on for some innings," said Sanfilippo of Blair. "He's going to be real good."