A battle of unbeatens and defending Sac-Joaquin Section champions played out Tuesday with Michelle Castro hitting a solo home run and an RBI double to lead East Union past Sierra 2-0 in Valley Oak League action at the Northgate Softball Complex.
East Union (2-0 VOL, 8-0 overall) is coming off a run to the SJS Division III title, while Sierra (2-1, 4-1) won the Division IV crown.
Castro led off the Lancers’ third with a solo home run. In the fifth inning, No. 8 batter Danyelle Godoy singled and Allison Tajii tried to advance Godoy with a bunt but ended up beating the throw to first. Godoy took third on the play and came home on a towering double down the left-field line by Castro.
“Castro is on fire, (Mikayla) Bongi has pitched like a champion all year and Alejandra (Gascon) is great behind the plate all the time, “ East Union coach Brian Goulart said. “Our defense was solid and Bongi was dominant. Castro has been swinging like that all year and we were able to manufacture a run with the bottom of the order contributing.”
Castro’s home run came on an 0-2 count.
“I was thinking approach to the ball like fast hands,” Castro said. “We knew she was going to throw outside.
“She was throwing a lot of rise balls and I was thinking rise ball because up high stays high and I love high pitches. The home run was a rise ball.”
The Timberwolves did something not many teams have done this year – get a first-inning hit off of Bongi. Sierra pitcher Lindsey Walljasper laced a one-out single in the first and finished 2 for 3.
“I didn’t let it bother me,” Bongi said of Walljasper’s hit. “Because I knew my defense would get the next one.
When asked about what she thought of two undefeated teams meeting, Bongi said, “I don’t really think about stats. A game is a game and when you get in the game you are in game mode and you don’t think and you don’t get nervous. You just try and dominate.”
Juli DeAnda was 2 for 3 for Sierra and was left stranded on second in the fourth and seventh innings. The Timberwolves left runners on second and third in the fourth inning.
“It was a good game,” Sierra coach Vic DeAnda said. “It was a darned good game. We left a lot of girls on base. We just didn’t get the hits when we needed to and they did. 
“It’s a heartbreaker, but we have to go back to the drawing board and work on some things.”
Goulart realizes that the Lancers had been in a game with a worthy opponent.
“That team is good,” Goulart said. “Walljasper is a good pitcher and they are a good team, the best we have faced this year. I love playing them. They are very classy and I hope they think the same of us.”

Manteca 13,
Central Catholic 2
Tawny Deerinck crushed two home runs and went 3 for 4 with three runs and six RBIs as the Buffaloes (3-0, 6-2) hammered visiting Central Catholic (0-1, 2-4) in six innings.
Manteca totaled 16 hits and also got a home run from Aryanna Martinez, who finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Haighley Kissee (3 for 4, two runs), Kaycee Peterson (2 for 4, two RBIs) and Melissa Hansen (2 for 4, two runs, two RBIs, double) also had multiple hits.
Kissee pitched all six innings for the Buffaloes and struck out four while giving up two unearned runs on six hits and two walks.

Southern League
Orestimba 17,
Ripon Christian 5
RIPON — Bethany Silveira belted two hits and drove in two runs for the Knights (0-1, 2-2-1), but it was all Orestimba (1-1, 1-5), which amassed 23 knocks in its first win of the season.