Even in defeat on Tuesday, Sierra may have opened some eyes with its 3-0 loss at Manteca.

“Honestly, super surprised,” Manteca pitcher Isabel Tonna said. “They came out ready with lots of energy.”

The Timberwolves (0-1, 4-1 overall) just didn’t have an answer for Tonna in the first Valley Oak League game of the season for both teams. She struck out seven in a tidy four-hitter that lasted just 1 hour, 20 minutes.

Sierra, however, countered with a strong effort from Valeria Villanueva and her defense to stay in the game. The Timberwolves have now lost 33 consecutive league games but are confident they can continue to compete in the ever-challenging VOL.

“I’m proud of this team,” first-year coach Sierra Jacob Martinez said. “The expectation is to play at a high level this year, and the morale is at an all-time high. It is somewhat of a rebuilding phase for us, but we have eight seniors that are going to perform for us, and three freshmen that have played very well. It’s promising for this team.”

With Tonna on her game, Manteca (1-0, 5-1) did enough offensively.

The Buffaloes made Sierra pay on its only error, a misplayed flyball with one out in the first inning. Na’ima Calderon followed with the RBI single to right-center field.

In the second, Lauren Moncada led off with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Neriah Flores and scored on a squeeze play from Riley Ward.

Maleiah Garza (2 for 3) provided the next insurance run in the third, as she knocked in Aleisa Harris (2 for 3, two runs).

Villanueva scattered seven hits and walked none.

“They did a good job of playing catch, which is not what we’ve seen in the past,” Manteca coach Josh Farris said. “I told the girls they’re much-improved, and we can see it in their record and the teams they’ve played.

“We wanted to play small ball a little bit early there for a couple of runs. We had a lot of confidence that Bel would pitch well and we would play defense behind her. Yesterday, we practiced a lot of bunting and small-ball stuff and wanted to use it today, because even when we hit the ball hard, we can’t always expect it to drop, and sometimes — like today — they’re just playing it right. We can at least try to manufacture some runs, and I was pleased with our bunting.”

Sierra threatened to break up the shutout in the late innings. Genyssa Rodriguez and Aliyah Martinez each singled and were on base with one out in the fifth inning, but Tonna got out of it with an infield popup and a strikeout.

In the sixth, Giovanna Garcia led off with a single to left, and Juliana Silva bunted her second. The T’wolves again came up empty-handed, as Tonna induced a short popup to first base and a popfly to straightaway center field.

“I just trust my defense,” Tonna said. “We work really hard in practice to get the clean reps, and it shows in the games.”

Tonna also had an offensive highlight, slugging a two-out double on a 0-2 count in the second inning, but she was left stranded.

Sierra was shut out for the first time this season after averaging eight runs in its pre-league contests.

“It was the first (league) game for a lot of these young players on the team,” Martinez said. “We need to start realizing that these pitchers are not all going to pitch to us, because they know we’re packing power 1 through 9. The girls just have to be a little more patient at the plate.”

The Timberwolves host Oakdale on Thursday, while Manteca hosts Elk Grove for a non-league tilt.