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SIERRA SECURES OUTRIGHT TITLE
Playoff-bound TWolves get even with rival East Union
SOFT--Sierra-East-Union-1
Sierras Gianna Lenoci beats the throw home and scores during a 3-0 VOL win over EU that crowned the Timberwolves as VOL champions outright on Tuesday. - photo by SEAN KAHLER

Sierra senior Gabby Olmo came up clutch during a Valley Oak League finale against host East Union at the Northgate Softball Complex Tuesday.

The T’Wolves’ third baseman not only caught the final out of the game that stamped Sierra outright VOL champs, but she also had a key double and scored two runs during a 3-0 win over the Lancers (9-5 VOL, 18-7-1 overall).

Olmo also had a three-run homer robbed by EU’s Gianna Gesler during the top of the seventh inning.

“I just came to the game pumped knowing we can all do this,” said Olmo, who delivered a stand-up double to open up the third. “We just really wanted this game badly and we really got it together.”

Sierra junior hurler Allie Walljasper got it together as well, finishing with 11 strikeouts, one hit and one walk. She only faced 23 of the minimum 21 batters and retired the side in five of the game’s seven innings.

“A lot of very good efforts by Sierra,” East Union head coach Brian Goulart said. “They played well and they deserved to win it with Allie on the mound – great team.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t play that great today. I tip my hat to them.”

Sierra finished the regular season 12-2 VOL, 21-2 overall. The T’Wolves, along with Oakdale and Kimball, are the three VOL teams headed to next week’s Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV postseason.

“We’ve really worked hard this season,” Sierra head coach Nick Olmo said. “We had a couple setbacks early in the season, but we righted whatever issues we had going on. We’re seeing the ball and hitting it.”

Sierra finished with four hits against EU’s Michelle Castro (one strikeout). Gabby Olmo led off the third with a double to left-center field. EU standout Cherish Burks attempted to make a diving play on the ball, but it bounced out of the upper web of her glove for the game’s first hit.

Sierra’s Gianna Lenoci hit a double that moved her teammate to third. EU then selected to intentionally walk Iyana Hughes – who was given first base free twice during the contest. Sierra freshman and its No. 9 hitter, Devi Coglio, recorded her first of two RBI walks on the day. The first RBI-walk brought home G. Olmo, and then Walljasper hit a sac-fly, RBI that brought home Lenoci for the 2-0 advantage.

“It comes down to getting those crucial hits when people are in (scoring) position,” coach Olmo said. “Bottom of the lineup came through this game when the top of the lineup was getting walked.

“(Gabby and Devi) came and hit the ball and brought girls around to put them in scoring position, so they came through big time.”

In the fourth inning, Gabby Olmo got on base with a one-out walk. Sierra senior Katelynn Perkins got on with a bunt-single to put two on and Hughes was walked on purpose to load the bags. Coglio drew her second RBI by drawing the walk by Castro to make up the final.

“We’ll have a (playoff) game ahead of us,” coach Olmo concluded. “It’s going to be a battle and nothing is going to be given it to you. We’re going to have to go and take wins.”



Trans-Valley League

Ripon 6, Hilmar 0


Ripon pounded out 10 hits and closed out its regular season with a shutout victory over Hilmar (2-10 Trans-Valley League, 4-18 overall).

Danielle Sperry went the distance and only gave up six hits with two strikeouts and no walks. Darian Vandermaaten went 3 for 4 with a run. Nicole Kaiser finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a double. Morgan Ormonde (1 for 2), Shayla Da Rosa (1 for 1, one run), Taylor Vernon (1 for 4, two RBIs), Cara Brown (1 for 4) and Melanie Wilkerson (1 for 4) all carried their own weight offensively. Ripon (9-3 TVL, 19-7 overall) outhit Hilmar 10-6 and scored two runs in the second, fifth and seventh innings.