In a one hour, 52 minute game that kept fans on the edge of their seats from first pitch to last, the Oakdale Lady Mustang varsity softball team edged the visiting Manteca Lady Buffaloes 2-1 on Friday, April 29. Junior Delainey Everett led the Mustangs offensively as well as defensively.

The Mississippi State-bound junior pitched seven complete innings giving up one run on six hits while striking out 11 and walking one, and then helped herself massively by hitting a towering solo home run over the centerfield fence in the fourth inning and then doubling in the sixth stanza. After the latter hit, head coach Larry Loger inserted the swift sophomore, Morgan Wright to pinch run for Everett. Senior designated player Sophia Ortiz followed with one of the best at bats of the game. Ortiz fouled off several pitches from the fine sophomore Buffalo pitcher, Nayellys Torres and worked the count to 3-2 before lining a base hit to right center field to score Wright from second and give the Lady Mustangs the lead, which they would not surrender.

After retiring the first 10 Buffaloes she faced, Everett surrendered a scratch single to Baylee Willenbrink with one down in the top of the fourth. Willenbrink was gunned down while trying to steal second on a throw from catcher Danny Romo to shortstop Amanda Bricker, which turned out to be a major play in the inning as the next four Buffalo batters each singled, scoring their lone run of the game. With the bases loaded, Everett got left fielder Rayana Ladd to take a called third strike to end the top of the fourth. Everett’s home run tied the score in the bottom of the fourth and then she only surrendered one more hit and a walk for the remainder of the game.

Joining Everett and Ortiz in the hit parade were sophomore Presley Barnes (single in the second) and Bricker (single in the first). Sophomore right fielder Bailey Peterson also reached on an error in the third and stole second. As of Friday, the 22-1-1 (9-0 VOL) Lady Mustangs clung to a one game lead in the VOL over second place Central Catholic (20-3-1/8-1 VOL). The two teams will face off on Tuesday, May 10 in Modesto. This Friday, Oakdale will play their Senior Day game against the Sierra Timberwolves. The 4 p.m. game will be preceded by a brief ceremony honoring the seniors on this year’s team starting at 3:45 p.m.

On the road at Weston Ranch on April 27, it was a blowout 22-0 win for Oakdale.

Also on Friday, the Mustang JV softball team overwhelmed Manteca by the score of 12-2 in a game shortened by the 10-run mercy rule.

BASEBALL

Varsity action on the baseball diamond saw the Mustang split their contests with the Manteca Buffaloes this past week. The boys were at Manteca on Tuesday, April 26 and came home with a 6-1 win. But, they found themselves on the losing end of a 9-6 score in the rematch at home on Thursday, April 28. Working to secure a spot in the playoffs, the Mustangs rebounded and came back with a strong effort to get a 10-0 win on the road at Sierra on May 3. The team currently sits in second place, 7-3, in the Valley Oak League and is 17-7 overall.

The JV boys took a pair of wins over Manteca in league play, winning 13-10 at home and 12-5 on the road.

The freshmen, meanwhile, took a 10-0 win against East Union at home on April 27 and traveled to face the Lances on April 29, winning 9-2.

TENNIS

Last week was amazing for the Mustang tennis program, according to coach Grant Miller.

“On Tuesday, during the Singles Tournament, we placed first, second and third. Caleb Poling was the eventual champion while Ryan Krause took second, and Jack Healy took third,” Miller explained of the successful tourney for the boys. “It was the best day at the tournament we have ever had.”

All three of those players were also selected All League VOL.

“The boys battled on Thursday for Doubles, but no one finished that high,” Miller added.

GOLF

Completing a championship season, the Oakdale golf boys won the VOL Tournament on Monday, May 2 which sealed the VOL title in Boys Golf for 2022.

“We finished league undefeated,” said a happy head coach Lee McGhee. “Undefeated through league is like going 30-0; we played all six other teams five times.”

At the championship event, Nolan Harris and Cooper Pitney tied for the low score on the day with 80. Grant Weber shot 83; Carson Middaugh 89; Robert Bordona 91 and Devyn Scott 95.

Oakdale claimed the VOL title with a score of 423, followed by Kimball, 441; East Union, 489; Manteca, 525; Sierra, 544; Central Catholic, 585; Weston Ranch, 799.

Teams moving on to playoffs are Oakdale, Kimball and East Union while the golfers moving on individually include Zenon Garay, Manteca (96); Connor DePrater, Manteca (84); Konnor Spears, Sierra (94); Spencer Mortensen, Central Catholic (102); John Delacruz, Weston Ranch (91); and James Musquiz, Sierra (103).

League MVP honors went to freshman Nolan Harris of Oakdale while First Team All-League selections for the Mustangs were Cooper Pitney, Grant Weber and Carson Middaugh.

TRACK/FIELD

It was another successful outing on the track and in the field events for Mustang athletes on Thursday, April 28. Hosting the Central Catholic Raiders in The Corral, the Mustangs overwhelmed their opponent at all four levels.

The varsity girls were 110-11 winners while the varsity boys posted an 80-14 victory. The JV girls defeated Central, 92-23 and the JV boys prevailed by a 105-13 final.

Highlights included Jace Rau winning both the 100 and 200 meters, including a personal best 24.44 in the 200 as well as winning triple jump at 37-04.00. Jacob Guignard recorded a PR of 45-03.00 for first place in shot put and also won the discus at 121-05. Aiden Vargas won the JV pole vault event with a PR of 10-00.00; Landon Tolboe set a new personal best mark in JV long jump and took first place at 18-05.50.

Kylie Nunes set a new PR of 12.70 to win the varsity girls 100 and won the 200 in 26.01 as well as taking first in the 100 hurdles. Haleigh Humble set a PR of 2:15.32 to win the 800 and also set a new school record of 13:18.61 to capture the 3200. Shelby Cotner set a new personal record of 7-06.00 to win pole vault, Hayden Moore and Memphis Carr pushed each other; Carr was first in shot put and Morton second while Moore took first in discus with a PR of 102-10 and Carr was second with a PR of her own at 100-01. At the JV level, Brady Wylie set a PR of 6-06.00 to win the pole vault while Savanna Rivera was a double winner, 14-10.00 PR to win the JV long jump, 4-08.00 PR to win the high jump.