Los Gatos opened play in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League last week with a solid 6-3 win over Homestead. The win helped the Cats improve to 3-6 for the year.

And it's a season that head coach Marlo Ann Cortese expects to be a good one for her Wildcats. She figures the Cats for a top three finish in the De Anza Division this spring.

"The 2005 season looks promising for the Los Gatos softball program," said Cortese. "With three transfer students, two freshmen and junior varsity additions, the 2005 team will contend for the league title."

All-league returners Kyrie Timbrook, Lindsay Zullo and Emily Augustine lead the Wildcats into action this season. Timbrook, a junior catcher, was the Defensive Most Valuable Player in the De Anza Division last year. Zullo, a sophomore pitcher, was a first team all-leaguer and senior infielder Augustine was on the all-league second team.

"The new faces on our varsity squad will complement our returning players and all-league players," said Cortese. "The challenge for the coaching staff is to get the team to gel with the new players and find the team chemistry."

Junior pitcher Brianna Smith, senior shortstop Rachel Brown and sophomore infielder Krisaundra Haggard are all transfers Cortese expects to contribute this spring.

"There are a lot of talented girls on the varsity squad, and we should have a very rewarding season," added the coach.

Seniors Stacey Cushman and Desiree McEntee join Michelle O'Brien, Jake Wheeler, Barbara Nerness, Courtney Tanguay and Amy Hendrickson on the Gatos squad. Freshmen Kristin Boley and Amy Highstreet are newcomers on the varsity.

Smith was the winning pitcher and Zullo came on to get the save for the Wildcats in the 6-3 win over Homestead last week. Haggard had two hits to drive in a pair of runs in the win and Smith singled twice and knocked in a run.

The week didn't start out great for the Cats. They dropped a 4-0 non-league decision to Saratoga of the El Camino Division. Smith had two of Los Gatos' three hits in the game.

Smith had a big game in a 6-0 win over Sequoia in the Circle of Champions tournament. The hurler struck out 17 in a 3-hit shutout. Timbrook led the offense with a triple and two singles and Smith singled and doubled.

The Wildcats will continue league play this week when they visit Lynbrook on March 22 and host Los Altos on March 24 in a couple of 3:30 p.m. games.