Sierra was loud in pregame warm-ups and loud in the dugout.
East Union could not silence the Timberwolves and their bats in a pivotal Valley Oak League clash at Northgate Softball Complex on Wednesday.
Nebraska-bound Lindsey Walljasper racked up 13 strikeouts and swatted a towering two-run homer, while Mia Guevara went 4 for 4 from the top of the order to anchor Sierra’s resounding 10-2 victory. The rematch played out differently than their previous showdown — a 3-2 win for the Timberwolves (8-1 VOL, 10-4 overall) in eight innings — and it marks the first time since 2012 that they notched a regular-season sweep of East Union (5-3, 12-5)
“Everybody’s intensity from the beginning all the way to the end was at the highest level it’s been all year,” Walljasper said.
Guevara set the tone. She led off three of the first four innings with two singles and a double and plated four runs.
Sierra rallied for five runs in the first inning, starting with Callie Crain’s sacrifice fly. Elizabeth Kehle later stroked a run-scoring double, and Tierra Solorio drove in another with an infield single. Kehle plated the fifth run on a rundown on the same play.
East Union starter Shelby Cefalu faced eight batters in the frame before getting replaced by Hayley Leonard.
“The game plan was to come out and attack,” Sierra coach Victor DeAnda said. “Don’t get behind in the counts, get up there swinging the bat. Mia did a great job. Her getting on just helped us out, because they had a hard time walking our two big hitters so they had to pitch. Her going 4 for 4 was huge.”
Guevara capped off her perfect day in the batter’s box with a two-out infield single that set up Walljasper’s colossal left-center blast in the top of the sixth inning.
“It’s like the best hit I’ve had in a while,” Walljasper said. “I thought it was (out) but then I couldn’t find it, so I just kept running.”
From the circle, she hurled 115 pitches and allowed an unearned run, seven hits and two walks.
Reigning VOL MVP Izabella Owen accounted for two of those hits for East Union, including a leadoff double in the first inning. Mackenzie Salgado drove her in and went 2 for 2. Allie Parker was 2 for 4 with a double. Chloe Agueda singled to start the bottom of the second and scored the Lancers’ final run on an infield error.
East Union had potential rallies stifled by Sierra catcher Samantha Lorge, who caught two base runners stealing second in the second and fourth innings. The Lancers left two runners stranded in the third and had back-to-back singles by Parker and Salgado to start the sixth but came up empty-handed. Walljasper struck out next three batters to wriggle out of the jam.
“She came through and just shut it down,” DeAnda said. “That was great pitching from her.”
Sierra remains a half game back of undefeated Oakdale, while East Union is locked in a three-way battle for two Sac-Joaquin Section playoff berths. Lancers coach Brian Goulart hopes his club gets its act together for another important battle Friday against Manteca back at Northgate Softball Complex.
“They’re over there hooping and hollering catching flyballs in pregame and we’re silent,” Goulart said. They’re excited about playing. They’re committed to playing well together and winning games. We’re not committed to anything right now.
“We have a massive amount of work to do,” he added. “The crosstown rivalry game with Manteca means everything now.”

Manteca 12,
Central Catholic 4
The Buffaloes (6-3, 13-7) broke away with 10 unanswered runs after visiting Central Catholic (3-5, 7-9) staked a 4-2 lead in the second inning.
Kayla Ching powered Manteca with two homers an three RBIs in a 3-for-3 effort. Kaylee MacDannald also homered and finished 2 for 3.
Ashley Pease also went 2 for 3 with two runs, and winning pitcher Koryn Menasco (five innings, five hits, two earned runs, walk) batted 2 for 4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs. Rhiannon Genilla added a triple and three RBIs. Alyssah Harnden pitched two scoreless innings in relief.

Kimball 17, Lathrop 1
TRACY — Kimball (5-5, 8-8-1) led 12-0 after the first inning and didn’t look back.
Sam Sales plated the lone run for Lathrop (0-9, 1-17) and was one of four Spartans to get a hit. Isabel Terra and Annalisa Garcia each connected for a double.

Southern League
Le Grand 4,
Ripon Christian 2
LE GRAND — Nicole Chapman and Elizabeth Thomas plated runs to tie it at 2-2 for Ripon Christian (5-2, 10-4) in the top of the fourth, but the Bulldogs (4-2, 5-7) jumped back ahead on Angie Belmontes’ RBI single in the bottom half. Le Grand struck again for an insurance run in the fifth.
Madison DeGraaf struck out seven and gave up six hits but was done in by four errors. Belmontes also pitched for Le Grand, scattering just four hits.

Sophomore
East Union 7, Sierra 1
Emma Silva twirled a one-hitter for East Union and fired nine strikeouts.
Michaela Lopez (double, RBI) and Callie Blevins-Bronder (double, two RBIs) each went 3 for 4. Arianna Harris was 2 for 3 with a run.