Softball, Class of 2005
In 1984 and 1985 there may not have been a moree dominate
softball player in California community college history than Santa
Ana College's Xan "Alani" Silva.
While playing for the Dons and head coach Jim Reach, Silva helped
lead Santa Ana College to a 73-12 overall record (.859), a pair of
post-season appearances and the college's first state softball
title in 1985.
Her name can still be found sprinkled among the Santa Ana College women's softball records. In 1984, she gave up just eight earned runs in 154 innings pitched and finished the season with an incredible 0.14 earned run average (ERA). Silva was nearly as dominant in her sophomore season where she finished with 25 wins and a 0.45 ERA. Her career ERA of 0.30 and 27 shutouts still rank as the best in school history. Silva tossed five no-hitters, second only to Joyce Lyman's six, and combined on another in her two vears with the Dons.
Offensivey; she set a team record with 21 triples during her career and still holds the single-season mark for triples in a season with 12 and home runs with nine. Silva also ranks first with seven RBI and two triples in a game.
Accolades didn't escape the righthander as she was twice named Santa Ana College's most valuable player while earning firstteam all-South Coast Conferencee honors. Silva was also a two-time all-state selection along with being named the California Community College player of the year in 1984 and 1985. In 1985 she earned the state's top pitching honor when she was named the California Community College pitcher of the year.
Her talents didn't go unnoticed as she earned a scholarship to
California State University, Fullerton where she helped lead the
Titans to two NCAA tournament appearances.
Currently Silva resides in Henderson, Nevada where she's a store
manager for Longs Drug.