Errors have plagued the Wildcats in the early stages of the season, but solid pitching and timely hitting helped Gatos to six wins in eight games.

Make that seven wins. But it wasn't pitching or hitting that helped the Cats to a 4-1 win over Palo Alto last week--it was the defense.

Los Gatos played errorless baseball behind senior southpaw Derek Thomas, and the Wildcats were able to claim their third win in as many games this season in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

"We just played really, really well defensively," said Sanfilippo. "If we continue to play defense like that, we should be OK."

Thomas went the distance to get the win, running his season record to 4-0. He tossed a 3-hitter and struck out five, but he also walked four--all of them in the first three innings.

"He threw a lot of pitches in the early innings," said Sanfilippo of the big left hander. "But he settled down after that and threw really well."

"he didn't have his best command, but he was there in the seventh inning getting outs," added the coach, "and that's what you expect from your No. 1 guy."

Thomas helped himself at the plate with a two-run homer in the first inning. Michael Brienzo had belted a one-out double down the left field line, and Thomas followed with a blast over the fence in left center.

"To come out in the first inning and put up two runs was just huge," said Sanfilippo.

The Cats added two more in the second, thanks to a couple of clutch doubles. Marty Mullins reached on a one-out error but was forced at second by Carlos Alonso. Mark Johnson ripped a one-hopper off the fence in right center for a run-scoring double, and Mike Gault followed with a double over the left fielder's head to drive in another run.

The Cats would get just another hit the rest of the way--a fourth-inning single by Justin Schafer--but had more than enough for the win.

The coach praised the defensive communication of shortstop Schafer and second sacker Alonso up the middle.

Los Gatos was to face Wilcox on Friday, but the game was rained out. The clubs were slated to make up the game on Monday.

The Cats will be on the road March 23 to visit Cupertino and will return home on March 25 to face Los Altos. Both games begin at 3:30 p.m.

Frosh-soph wins again

The Los Gatos frosh-soph baseball team ran its league record to 3-0 with a tight 4-3 win over Palo Alto last week.

Steve Garvey clubbed a run-scoring triple and added a run-scoring double to lead the offensive attack for the young Wildcats. Mitch Benedetti also had two hits.

Joey Donofrio went 4 1/3 innings to get the mound win. Wes Howell came on in relief in the fifth with runners on first and third and threw one pitch to get an inning-ending double play.

Kevin Wyllie threw the seventh to get the save, but he had to pitch out of trouble. The Vikings loaded the bases with one out--a strikeout--before getting a two-run single. A fly ball to right sent the potential tying run to third and a stolen base put the potential winning run at second. The Wildcats issued an intentional walk to load the bags and set up the force out, and they got it when Wyllie got the next hitter to hit a ground ball to Eric McDonald at third for the game-ending out.

"He got himself into a jam, but he was able to pitch out of it," said Gatos coach Mike Sparrer of Wyllie.