Terra Linda Win Sets Up Duel With No. 1 in NCS Finals

When his team was perennially struggling to be even close to a .500 club, softball coach recalls looking forward to the last out of the season.

“In previous years,” the Trojans’ coach since 2004 admitted, “when the last out of a season was recorded, I would say to myself, ‘Thank you!’”

When it happens this time around – at the end of Friday’s North Coast Section championship game against Alhambra of Martinez, Lucchi likewise hopes to be happy, but for a completely different reason.

“I’m looking forward to what happens,” he said of the matchup with the section’s top-seeded team. “We may never be here again. This is pretty special. I’m definitely not taking anything for granted.

“I’m happy for the girls. I’m sure, win or lose, when we have our team party, it’ll be a lot different than it’s been in years past.”

Actually, Lucchi would love to see the party start on the St. Mary’s College field in Moraga at the end of Friday’s finals. But it won’t be easy.

Then again, nobody expected the Trojans’ shocking 9-1 triumph at second-seeded Albany to be as easy as it was Wednesday.

Batting first as the result of losing a coin toss, the Trojans put their first six batters on base – five via hits and on a walk – and all six scored.

The final 6 ½ innings became nothing more than watching senior pitcher easily protect the large margin.

“They were on their heels the entire game,” Lucchi said of the potent Albany club. “Maybe that game was won when we lost the coin flip.”

Lucchi admitted he’s not sure what he’ll do if he wins the coin flip before Friday’s game. He recognizes the importance of batting first and jumping ahead of the opponent.

Then again, if Schilling were to mow down the Alhambra top of the order 1-2-3, that also would send a powerful message.

“We’ve been riding Sammy,” Lucchi said of his star pitcher, who allowed only four hits Wednesday while striking out eight. “We’re going to ride her out. She brought us to this level.”

And she’s done it with a smile, Lucchi noted.

“She keeps everybody loose,” the coach said of his three-year captain. “She’s been a great leader this year.

“She smiles no matter what. I’ve stopped trying to change that. Girls are different. I just figured it out this year: She wants to win more than any of us; you just wouldn’t know it.”

Schilling is one of only two seniors on the Terra Linda roster. She endured more than her fair share of tough times before this year’s talented freshman class, including , and , came along and gave the pitcher a quality supporting cast.

“She came in and really turned our program around as a freshman,” Lucchi said of Schilling, who hopes to pitch for College of Marin next season. “She’s meant everything.

“The thing about her: She never gave a stink-eye to a player. And if anyone ever deserved to give a stink-eye, it was her. Never. It’s unbelievable.”

Friday is more than just Schilling’s going-away party, though. It’s a chance for the sixth-seeded Trojans to complete an incredible run at an NCS championship.

“I guess I don’t believe it yet,” Lucchi admitted. “It’ll hit me. It’s the last thing I expected.”