Sierra held on to defeat visiting East Union 7-5 Friday in Valley Oak league softball, but Timberwolves pitcher Jessenia Beltran allowed just one earned run as her defense committed five errors.
“I hate to be a coach of a varsity sport and say I am learning to accept errors,” Sierra coach Mike James said. “We work daily on it and we spend a lot of time working on defense and it is something that our program is definitely going to get better at. The question is when. The girls try so hard, and we’re going to get better,
“We are getting dirty out there. I made it mandatory that every girl has to wear a mouthpiece, even if they are playing in the outfield. I don’t want any injuries or any second thoughts about what we have to do if a ground ball is hit to us.”
Beltran struck out eight and did not allow a hit until the fifth inning with the Lancers (1-1 VOL, 6-3 overall) ending up with four hits.
“Beltran is doing beautiful,” James said. “She is pitching with runners on base constantly, but that is her strength. It doesn’t bother her.
“East Union really put the bat on the ball later in the game and caught some stuff on Jessenia, but I have one of the mentally strongest pitchers around. I really believe that.”
The Timberwolves (1-1, 3-3) led 7-2 going into the seventh inning when two East Union hits and two Sierra errors led to three Lancers runs. Kaitlyn Reyes doubled to start the frame, stole third and scored on an error off the bat of Myresa Harper. Brooke Grabowski’s fielder’s choice forced Harper at second. Grabowski (RBI, double) took second on Aubree Gann’s groundout and scored on a two-base error off the bat of Dianne LaFuente.
LaFuente scored the game’s last run when she was singled in by Layla Molina (2 for 3, RBI, double). Molina took second on a wild pitch with the tying run at the plate, but Beltran reached deep one more time for a game-ending strikeout.
“Working with my catcher Breanna (Tyler) we worked to stay as calm as we could be and not let anything get into our heads,” Beltran said. “We would forget about the errors and move on with short-term memory.”
Timberwolves center fielder Amelia Hernandez helped keep some Lancers runs off the board with two running catches.
“I just try to read the hitter as well as I can,” Hernandez said. “And when contact is made I read it as quickly as possible so I can get under them.”
Beltran (3 for 4, double, two runs) got a three-run Sierra third going with a one-out double. She scored on Erica Tovar’s RBI double, Breanna Tyler singled in Tovar and advanced to second on the throw home to try and get Tovar. Tyler came in on Alyssa Teicheira’s single.
“When I am in the on-deck circle I practice my timing and talk to the girls about where their pitcher is throwing,” Beltran said.
One problem East Union has had this season is having slow starts.
“We have been harping and harping about energy from the start,” Lancers coach Steffany Zanini said. “I have to give props to Sierra. They took advantage of us when we were kind of lackadaisical.
“But I am proud that we didn’t roll over. We kept fighting. We had a chance to keep it going. We didn’t make the easy plays but you definitely have to give props to their pitcher.”
This was the first win for the Timberwolves over East Union since a season sweep for Sierra in 2018 and only the third since 2014.
“We beat a top team today,” James said. “A lot of people say that with the way the VOL is set up right now some teams are going to battle for fourth place.”
The Lancers host Kimball on Wednesday at 5 p.m. and next Friday at 4 p.m. the Timberwolves host Manteca.
Grace Davis 16, Lathrop 4 (5)
Lathrop (0-4 Western Athletic Conference, 1-8 overall) scored all four of its runs in the top of the fourth, but it was not enough to keep up with Grace Davis’ 14-hit attack.
Jasmine Smith (double) and Isabella Reyes each went 2 for 3, while Shelby Aquino was 2 for 2.
"After a tough week, it was nice to see the fight come out in the girls today,” Lathrop coach Stephanie Maestretti said. “We made some errors, but made the plays when we needed to in order to make up for those mistakes, and were able to rally. I'm very proud of them for being able to put some runs on the board and not give up after being down by a few. The pieces are coming together, we just need to take advantage."
