By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Buffs still perfect in pre-league
soft photo web.jpg
Alyssah Harnden slides home as Liberty catcher Ysenia Inguanzo reaches for the throw at the plate.

The Manteca High softball team remained unbeaten in the preseason thanks to 10-7 non-league win against visiting Liberty of Galt on Monday.

“I’m just glad we could play today,” said Buffaloes coach Josh Farris, who saw his team having to rally twice against the Lions.

Unseasonal rains thus far have limited practices and games for most teams. Evident of that is the play on the field.

“We need to limit our mistakes,” Farris said,

His team fell behind 2-0 in the third inning on Briana Brown’s two-run shot over the center field fence. The Lions’ sophomore third baseman went yard again a three-run blast in fourth – she finished with two home runs and five RBI.

Manteca (3-0) rallied for four in the home half of the third, surging ahead briefly. Mohrgen Kissee plated Ella Washburn with a one-out double and Kaylee MacDannald was safe on an error.

Kaileah Johannsen delivered home Kissee with an RBI single, Kalissa Martin had a sacrifice bunt, and pinch runner Ariana Lowery scored on a passed ball.

Down 4-2, Liberty (0-3) scored five times in the top of the fourth. In addition to Brown’s second home run of the game, Shelby Hunt scored one of the runs on a sacrifice fly and Aiko Sherman tied the game with an RBI single.

The Buffaloes went ahead in the fifth with Johannsen beating out a throw to first and Karlie Spohn following that up with a single.

Alyssah Harnden, who was the starting and winning pitcher for Manteca – she gave up seven hits with six earned runs and three strikeouts – helped her cause with a two-run single. Washburn, Isabella Gonzales and Kissee also drove home runs.

Harnden was helped out with her defense in the sixth, getting a comebacker and a diving stop by second baseman Gonzales, who flipped the ball to shortstop MacDannald covering second for the putout.

In the seventh, she retired the leadoff batter, Brown, on a ground out to Spohn at third. Centerfielder Martin registered the final two outs.

Gonzales, Spohn, Johannsen, MacDannald, Washburn, and Kissee had two hits each.

Farris, meanwhile, was looking to the challenging week ahead.

The Buffaloes will travel to Ripon on Wednesday and Linden on Thursday.


Stagg 22, 

Weston Ranch 15

STOCKTON – The Cougars (2-3) spotted the Delta Kings (3-1) of Stockton to a 10-0 first inning lead before closing the gap to 10-7 and keeping it close the rest of the way.

“After first inning it was a good game by both teams,” Weston Ranch coach Ron Wayman said. “We just have to get to the point where we have that one bad inning.

“If we would just get rid of that one bad inning we will be in a lot of games.”

Allyah Guerrero (2 for 4, double, triple) took the chalked circle for the Cougars in the bottom of second and kept Weston Ranch in the game.

Julianna Lassiter reached base six times for the Cougars, going 3 for 4, walking twice and being hit by a pitch. Stephanie Barba was 3 for 5.