Sierra dropped another 5-4 heartbreaker to Oakdale on Tuesday in Valley Oak League boys tennis action.
The latest result secures sole possession of second place for Oakdale (10-2), which also earned a higher seed than the Timberwolves (7-4 VOL, 8-7 overall) should they land in the same bracket for the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.
Harshith Kumar gave Sierra a chance to steal the win Tuesday when he battled back from a 5-2 deficit in the second set to complete a 6-2, 7-5 sweep of Matthew Yakligian in the No. 1 singles match.
The T’wolves trailed 4-2 after the six singles matches concluded and needed to win all three doubles contests.
Oakdale was able to lock down the win with Anthony Llona and Mitchell Benning’s heated 6-4, 6-4 win over Arnav Sah and Sagar Shah.
Raunak Mahar and Reyansh Bansode won the No. 2 doubles match for Sierra 6-3, 6-2, while Johan Arroyo and Ashvin Gill prevailed at No. 3, 6-3, 6-3. Himmat Dosanjh came through to notch the Timberwolves’ other singles win, 6-1, 6-2 against Austin Speiller.
Sierra also had chances at No. 2 and 5 singles but lost in third-set tiebreakers. Ryan Alves was defeated by Jaxton Marler 6-3, 2-6, 2-10 in the No. 2 match, while Noah Brum fell short to Tristan McCarthy, 3-6, 6-3, 9-11.
The Timberwolves end their regular-season schedule today with a make-up match against visiting Patterson before hosting the VOL Tournament next week.
SOFTBALL
River Islands 8, Ripon Christian 6
The Riptide (4-8) walked it off to complete the come-from-behind non-league victory. Visiting Ripon Christian (2-11) jumped out to an early 5-1 lead.
Octavia Orndoff led River Islands, going 2 for 3 with a run and two RBIs, while striking out eight in seven innings pitched. Kalina Rodrigues scored a run and drove in the other.
Austynn MacWilliams went 3 for 3 with two runs an an RBI for Ripon Christian. Gianna Masellis finished 3 for 4 with an RBI. Annabelle Hoff added a home run and four RBIs in her 2 for-3 effort.
Ripon 2, Orestimba 1 (9)
Angelina Martinez went 3 for 4 and hit a solo home run in the Trans Valley League matchup for host Ripon (5-1, 14-5 overall), and she struck out 10 in a five-hit pitching gem.
Teagan Osborn plated the Indians’ other run.
Orestimba (3-4, 14-8) countered with Hailey Starr, who fired seven strikeouts against six hits and no walks over 8 2/3 innings. She also scored her team’s lone run, going 3 for 4 with a double.
COED TENNIS
Escalon 7, Ripon 2
The visiting Indians (5-5) got their two wins from the girls singles matches.
Brookelyn Betschart prevailed from the No. 1 spot against Brianna Gallo, 6-2, 6-0. Lily Meyer won at No. 2 6-1, 6-3 over Chloe Green.
BASEBALL
Central Valley 16, Lathrop 1 (5)
The visiting Hawks (9-0, 15-7 overall) amassed nine runs in the third inning and cruised for the Western Athletic Conference win.
Landen Nolte knocked in Ayden Louie in the fifth inning for Lathrop’s lone run. The Spartans (4-5, 7-12) were held to four hits by Central Valley pitchers Dominic Delatorre (four innings, six strikeouts) and Xavier Felix.
