Noah Hennecke struck out seven and walked two over six innings for Lodi, while East Union struggled in all facets in a 13-1 loss that went the distance Wednesday at Agostini Field.

“We need to improve from the mound and do a better job of pounding the zone,” East Union coach Dan Triglia said. “We have to play more fundamentally sound defensively. And we need to have a better approach at the plate to put the ball in play.”

The good news for the Lancers (0-2) is that there is time to improve before the start of the Valley Oak League season, and they have plenty of more games ahead against quality opposition.

Lodi (1-0) was unable to enforce the 10-run mercy rule but scored three in the top of the seventh to take its double-digit lead. Joe Souza reached with a single and scored on an infield error for the Lancers’ lone run in the fifth inning. Joe Bothelio belted a double for East Union’s only other hit. The Lancers committed four errors.

Today they’ll host former Valley Oak League foe Sonora.



Sierra 6, Escalon 6

In Escalon, Sierra scratched across a run in the top of the sixth inning, and the game was called to darkness after the bottom half. Both teams are now 2-0-1.

Zak DeRossett hammered two of Sierra’s seven hits, and Anthony Arredondo legged out a double. Logan Widmer was 3 for 3 with a double for Escalon, which rallied for four runs in the third inning.