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Twolves take 3rd title
Coglio caps Sierras impressive run with 7th-inning homer
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Maria Vazquez, with arms raised in triumph, and the rest of the Sierra softball team celebrate their 9-2 win over Lindhurst in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV championship game Saturday. - photo by WAYNE THALLANDER/The Bulletin

STOCKTON – Sierra put up five runs in the second inning Saturday and rode the hot bat of Devi Coglio to a 9-2 win over Lindhurst of Olivehurst for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV softball championship in The Stadium at the Arnaiz Softball Complex. This is the third blue banner for Sierra in five seasons.

“In the last five years we have had three section championships, a second and a third,” Timberwolves coach Vic DeAnda said. “Those have been great years for Sierra High School.”

Coglio was 4 for 5 with a home run, two RBI and three runs.

“Devi is our spark and that is what she has been doing for us all year,” DeAnda said. “She is our leadoff batter and she does what she needs to do to get on base – bunting, hitting and today with her second home run of the year, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.”

With Sierra (20-5) enjoying a commanding 7-2 lead in the seventh, Coglio came up with two outs and Legacy Barnes on second after Barnes belted a double. Coglio turned on the first pitch she saw launched it over the fence for the game’s final two runs.

 “I really liked that first pitch,” Coglio said. “It was inside right where I like it. All I was trying to do was score Legacy.

“We were all hitting the ball well in support of Lindsey (Walljasper), because she had to pitch every single game.”

 Kendelle Messersmith (2 for 4, double, two RBI, two runs) was a key part of the big second inning for the Timberwolves. Later in the inning after Barnes singled in Madison Penner, Messersmith came up to bat with the bases loaded – Barnes on first, Kiara Baleva on second and Coglio on first. 

 Messermith ripped a double to the fence, plating Barnes and Baleva. Coglio came all the way around to score when the throw to the infield was misplayed. Messersmith took third on that error and scored on Julie DeAnda’s single. 

“I haven’t been swinging at my pitch,” Messersmith said. “I like them belt high and inside, and I got some of those today.

 “Nobody gave us a chance and it felt really good to prove everybody wrong.”

 After her sister Allie Walljasper had occupied the chalked circle for the last four seasons, freshman Lindsey Walljasper stepped in this season and picked up right where Allie left off. Lindsey Walljasper allowed seven hits, but she fired back with eight strikeouts in the complete-game victory.

“I got myself out of a lot of jams,” Lindsey Walljasper said. “But I got myself into those jams, too. I have pitched the last three games and my arm was really tired, so I just tried hitting my spots.

 “We all tried proving what everyone said we couldn’t do. We accomplished our goal.”

 After a long stint as assistant coach, this was Vic DeAnda’s first year as head coach, and he had a freshman pitcher to lead the way.

 “I have been telling everyone that I do not look at Lindsey as a freshman,” Vic DeAnda said. “She is a varsity ball player and comes out and does what she likes to do.

 “And I still don’t feel like I am a first-year coach. I have been coaching here for a while now and I now have the title as head coach.”

Lindhurst (28-4) got its runs in the third inning when two runners scored on a throwing error.