The Hilmar High varsity softball squad have become masters of spoiling. An upset in the quarterfinal round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI playoffs on Friday has left the program as the lone local team still alive in postseason play.
The No. 5 Yellowjackets, who achieved a 16-9 overall record in the regular season which included a 5-7 campaign in the Trans-Valley League, went on the road and took down No. 4 Bradshaw Christian (Sacramento) by a 5-2 score on Friday afternoon. It came two days after the Hilmar team defeated No. 12 Mariposa by a 5-0 score.
The Lady ‘Jackets are now set for its first section semifinal contest since 2022, the year they raised a blue banner. The game takes place Tuesday in Sutter Creek against top-seeded Amador, which defeated Summerville by a 12-4 score on Friday. The Buffaloes improved to 18-6 overall and won the Sierra Valley Conference with a 12-2 mark.
The Yellowjackets scored all five of its runs Friday in the top of the first inning.
The first two batters, freshmen Lizabeth Roper and Haygen Stivers, reached base with a single and on an error, respectively, against the Pride, setting the table for a two-run triple to deep right field off the bat of sophomore Maribel Moreno. Senior Karley Segura then singled to make it 3-0. With two outs and a pair of runners in scoring position, senior Emma Gomes hit a sharp grounder to the Bradshaw Christian shortstop, whose error allowed both baserunners to score.
On the mound for Himar was freshman Amelia DeOlivieira, who went the distance after allowing just one earned run on seven hits and a walk. She struck out a pair.
The Pride’s only success against DeOliveira came in the fifth and sixth innings. In the fifth, she gave up a sacrifice fly. In the sixth, she loaded the bases by giving up a pair of singles and watching another batter reach on a fielding error before she mishandled a comebacker.
DIVISION V: Orestimba 2, Hughson 1 in nine innings
Hughson High was another TVL power competing Friday, the top seed in Division V and facing a familiar conference foe in No. 8 Orestimba. In the third and final meeting between the two teams, seven innings were not enough to settle a stellar pitcher’s duel between Hughson junior Kylie Tangney and Orestimba senior Hailey Starr.
The two hurlers held each opposing lineup to just one hit through the first five innings of play before Hughson’s Peyton Moring singled in a speedy Presley Wells from second base in the sixth. The lead was short-lived, as Orestimba’s Salece Machado reached on an error, stole second, and scored on a double down the right field line off the bat of Starr. The Warriors took the 2-1 lead in the ninth when Cayla Finley singled to right and Machado raced home on a fielding error.
The Huskies threatened in the home half of the ninth when Moring led off with a single and Serenity Crocker reached on an error with two outs, but the game ended on a peculiar play.
Leeanne Lopez hit a high foul ball near the first base bag. The Warriors’ first baseman made an attempt but ultimately saw the ball drop in foul territory. The play was quickly disputed, as the Orestimba coaching staff complained that the fielders were interfered with by the Hughson first base coach. The umpires gathered to discuss, and shortly thereafter ruled that the coach had impeded the Orestimba first baseman and her opportunity to make a play.
With the call, the Hughson's season ended bitterly at 20-4.
Tangney gave up the one earned run on just two hits, and struck out eight in the nine-inning outing. Starr also tossed a complete game despite the extra innings, allowing the one run on five hits while punching out seven.
It was a get-back game for Orestimba, who suffered a pair of losses to the Huskies in TVL play, the first by a similarly nail-biting score of 4-3 on March 17 and again, 12-2, on April 16. The Huskies ended up going undefeated in TVL play at 12-0.
The Huskies won its first round game Wednesday against Mesa Verde of Citrus Heights, 14-0. It was a game in which senior Madison Collins drove in three runs on two hits, while Wells and sophomore Emma Carne each plated a pair on two hits each.
Division VII: Leroy Greene Academy 11, Denair 5
Runner-up in the Division VII bracket a year ago, the Denair High softball program bowed out of this year’s tournament in Friday’s quarterfinal. The No. 5 Coyotes fell to the Leroy Greene Academy (Sacramento) by an 11-5 score.
The Lions scored a run in the first inning and four more in the third before the Denair offense finally found success, courtesy of senior Braelyn Marroquin stealing home in the fourth inning. The Lions got the run back on an error in the bottom half of the inning, but the Coyotes built enough momentum to cut into the lead in the fifth inning.
Marroquin began the fifth inning with an RBI single. The next batter, freshman Keioni Ayala, hit a sharp grounder to the shortstop that was misplayed and allowed another run to score. The third run of the frame came on another error, this time from the pitcher, Emiliana Salazar. Denair’s final run of the game came on a single from junior Aaliyah Rodriguez the next inning. The Lions scored four in the sixth to keep the game out of reach.
Junior ace Kenzie Prine was the losing pitcher, giving up five runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks in 2.1 innings of work.
Wednesday’s playoff opener provided much better results for Prine and the Coyotes.
Against No. 12 Aspire Langston Hughes Academy (Stockton), Prine held opposing batters hitless in five innings of work, allowing just a walk as the Coyotes cruised to a 22-0 win in five frames. Prine struck out eight in the outing.
“Kenzie is the workhorse out there,” said Denair head coach Chad Boucher. “She gets it done. She has really carried the team this year.”
Prine, Marroquin and senior Cloey Ellerd led the Coyotes in the hit department Wednesday with two apiece. The Coyotes worked nine total walks against Titans pitching, several with the bases loaded. Camryn Davis, Daisy Rosas and Ava Zazueta each had two RBI on the day.
With Friday’s loss, the Coyotes end the season with an even 12-12 overall record.
