East Union has been the top softball program for years, but there appears to be a new sheriff in town.
Freshman Allison Walljasper turned in a dazzling pitching performance, and sophomore Elia Vazquez bombed a three-run homer as Sierra High beat the Lancers 7-1 Tuesday at Northgate Softball Complex.
“This is one of the big ones for the girls, and they were looking to make a statement today,” Sierra coach Nick Olmo said.
The night only got better for the Timberwolves (3-1, 10-2-1) as word spread of Oakdale’s 10-6 upset loss to first-year varsity Kimball of Tracy. Oakdale is the Valley Oak League’s defending champion and started the conference season with a commanding 9-2 victory over Sierra.
There is now a three-way tie at the top of the standings between Sierra, Oakdale and Manteca. East Union (2-2, 5-6-1) and Sierra have both beaten Kimball.
“Everybody is beating everybody right now, so we’re telling our girls to just hang in there and continue to work hard to get better,” East Union coach Brian Goulart said. “It’s a long season. We have three playoff spots in the VOL and that’s our goal.”
Walljasper took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and finished with 14 strikeouts, one walk and one hit batter. Seven of those strikeouts came in succession at one point.
Sierra played textbook softball in all facets going into the seventh. Cassie Waggy reached with no outs when a delay-of-game infraction was called on Sierra’s catcher, and clean-up hitter Brittany LaMar drilled a sharp grounder through the middle for the Lancers’ first knock.
Gianna Gessler later blooped an RBI single to right for EU’s lone run.
“Actually, I didn’t know that at all going into the seventh inning,” Walljasper said about the possible no-no. “I just had to keep my focus on the game. I eventually gave up the one hit, but that’s OK.”
At the start it was Kristin Borst, East Union’s own promising freshman, who was phenomenal while Walljasper served up hittable balls. Borst struck out five of the first seven batters she faced, while Walljasper allowed Jordan Vinson and LaMar to bang out warning-track shots in the first inning.
But as Walljasper began to find her groove, things quickly unraveled for Borst and the Lancers in the third inning. With two outs, speedy Iyana Hughes laid down a bunt and reached on a dropped ball at first base. Four pitches later, Daylynn Penner (2 for 4) hammered a double to the left-center field fence for a one-run Sierra lead. That was the first hit of the game.
In the fourth, Jessica Lopez walked and later scored on a two-out throwing error that also allowed fleet-footed Shakira Lewis to reach. Hughes then drove in Lewis with a single to left.
All three Sierra runs at this point were unearned. Borst would end up with seven strikeouts, but she walked six and scattered five hits in 4 1/3 innings. Kelsey Emerson threw the final 2 2/3, yielding just one hit.
“I really feel for Kristin,” Goulart said. “I think she’s been the biggest surprise for our team this season. At times she looks like a super dominant pitcher and she’s a freshman. We’re going to be in good shape there, but we have to play defense behind her and our girls know that.
“We can beat any team in the league if we can make the routine plays, but that’s been our bug-a-boo so far.”
Vazquez unleashed the knockout blow in the fifth, a towering home run to left that drove in Walljasper (singled) and Sommer Wilson (walked). It’s Vazquez’s first varsity homer, and it came after fouling off a 3-0 pitch.
“I was just looking for the perfect pitch, pretty much whatever I could get to bring in the runs for my team,” Vazquez said. “Seeing that pitch come in I knew it was the perfect pitch, and when I swung it I just felt it.”
Lily Gonzales plated the final run for Sierra in the same inning, roping a double to left-center and getting sent home on Lexus Barnes’ sacrifice fly to right.
Freshman Allison Walljasper turned in a dazzling pitching performance, and sophomore Elia Vazquez bombed a three-run homer as Sierra High beat the Lancers 7-1 Tuesday at Northgate Softball Complex.
“This is one of the big ones for the girls, and they were looking to make a statement today,” Sierra coach Nick Olmo said.
The night only got better for the Timberwolves (3-1, 10-2-1) as word spread of Oakdale’s 10-6 upset loss to first-year varsity Kimball of Tracy. Oakdale is the Valley Oak League’s defending champion and started the conference season with a commanding 9-2 victory over Sierra.
There is now a three-way tie at the top of the standings between Sierra, Oakdale and Manteca. East Union (2-2, 5-6-1) and Sierra have both beaten Kimball.
“Everybody is beating everybody right now, so we’re telling our girls to just hang in there and continue to work hard to get better,” East Union coach Brian Goulart said. “It’s a long season. We have three playoff spots in the VOL and that’s our goal.”
Walljasper took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and finished with 14 strikeouts, one walk and one hit batter. Seven of those strikeouts came in succession at one point.
Sierra played textbook softball in all facets going into the seventh. Cassie Waggy reached with no outs when a delay-of-game infraction was called on Sierra’s catcher, and clean-up hitter Brittany LaMar drilled a sharp grounder through the middle for the Lancers’ first knock.
Gianna Gessler later blooped an RBI single to right for EU’s lone run.
“Actually, I didn’t know that at all going into the seventh inning,” Walljasper said about the possible no-no. “I just had to keep my focus on the game. I eventually gave up the one hit, but that’s OK.”
At the start it was Kristin Borst, East Union’s own promising freshman, who was phenomenal while Walljasper served up hittable balls. Borst struck out five of the first seven batters she faced, while Walljasper allowed Jordan Vinson and LaMar to bang out warning-track shots in the first inning.
But as Walljasper began to find her groove, things quickly unraveled for Borst and the Lancers in the third inning. With two outs, speedy Iyana Hughes laid down a bunt and reached on a dropped ball at first base. Four pitches later, Daylynn Penner (2 for 4) hammered a double to the left-center field fence for a one-run Sierra lead. That was the first hit of the game.
In the fourth, Jessica Lopez walked and later scored on a two-out throwing error that also allowed fleet-footed Shakira Lewis to reach. Hughes then drove in Lewis with a single to left.
All three Sierra runs at this point were unearned. Borst would end up with seven strikeouts, but she walked six and scattered five hits in 4 1/3 innings. Kelsey Emerson threw the final 2 2/3, yielding just one hit.
“I really feel for Kristin,” Goulart said. “I think she’s been the biggest surprise for our team this season. At times she looks like a super dominant pitcher and she’s a freshman. We’re going to be in good shape there, but we have to play defense behind her and our girls know that.
“We can beat any team in the league if we can make the routine plays, but that’s been our bug-a-boo so far.”
Vazquez unleashed the knockout blow in the fifth, a towering home run to left that drove in Walljasper (singled) and Sommer Wilson (walked). It’s Vazquez’s first varsity homer, and it came after fouling off a 3-0 pitch.
“I was just looking for the perfect pitch, pretty much whatever I could get to bring in the runs for my team,” Vazquez said. “Seeing that pitch come in I knew it was the perfect pitch, and when I swung it I just felt it.”
Lily Gonzales plated the final run for Sierra in the same inning, roping a double to left-center and getting sent home on Lexus Barnes’ sacrifice fly to right.
