It doesn’t get much better than this.
The remaining contests on Oakdale High’s Valley Oak League sports schedules are responsible for a bubbling anticipation of finality as the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs loom on the horizon.
Following is a summary of recent action, with only Oakdale boys tennis (fourth place in the VOL) out of the postseason hunt.
Baseball
Oakdale beat Sierra 8-6 on April 16, but allowed the Timberwolves to escape with a 3-2 victory two days later and drop Oakdale (13-8 overall, 6-2 VOL) to second place in the conference standings below Manteca (14-3, 8-0).
The stanza sets the table for a thrilling showdown between Oakdale and Manteca this week. Oakdale was at Manteca on Tuesday, though results were not available at press time. The Mustangs host Manteca on Thursday, April 25, to complete the series.
Oakdale edged Sierra in the first meeting after two hits, two RBIs and a home run by Ericksen Dickens. Christian Acosta also belted a pair of hits in the win while Taylor Leach and Eddie Machado combined to nab the win on the hill.
Dickens went 3 for 3 with a walk and a double to lead Oakdale in game two, while clean-up hitter Nik Garza was 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Track and Field
The undefeated varsity girls kept their title hopes alive with a 91-41 victory over visiting Sierra on April 17. The varsity boys fell 98-37, but the JV boys (91-43) and JV girls (99-21) were big winners.
“The JV boys were great again and the JV girls dominated,” Oakdale coach Dave Bacigalupi said. “The future looks bright for Oakdale track and field.”
The OHS girls won every track event but the 1600 relay and every field event but the shot put.
Dezirae Pennington won the 110 hurdles, the 300 hurdles, the 200 and was on the winning 400 relay team. Kellie Gratigny joined the same relay crew and also won the triple jump, high jump and 400.
Me’che Brown won the 100, was on the 400 relay team and watched Anna Perrone roll to victories in the 800, 1600 and 3200. Hannah Chappell won the discus and Grace Perreira the pole vault while Alyssa Perigen captured the long jump crown.
Chris Davis led the OHS boys by winning the 800 and joining the winning 1600 relay team. Kyle Peterson also won the discus and shot put.
Oakdale is at Sonora today, April 24.
Boys Tennis
A highly successful season fell just short of the playoffs on April 16 when Manteca snared the edge on an incredibly close match between the third and fourth place conference teams, 5-4.
Oakdale still rallied to best Sonora 6-3 two days later to close out a sharp 8-6 season that ended just short of extra contests.
“I am so proud of the way they played in Sonora,” Oakdale coach Grant Miller said. “It would have been awfully easy to have a letdown after Tuesday’s loss.
“They really showed their mettle during that last league match of the year.”
Manteca took four singles wins, but couldn’t beat Daniel Martinez (6-4, 6-2 winner) or Josh Niendorf (7-5, 6-3). Blaine Rocha and Miguel Barajas snared a 6-7 (6-8), 6-1, 10-8 doubles win while Spencer Keyser and Dylan Hawksworth-Lutzow (6-0, 7-5) did the same.
Trae Folla and Hawkey Magnussen won 6-2, 6-3 over Sonora to spark a complete doubles sweep that included Rocha/Barajas (6-1, 6-2) and Tyler Leadem/Keyser (6-2, 6-1).
Frank Rossier (6-2, 6-2), Andrew Gilpin (3-6, 6-2, 6-2) and Niendorf (6-3, 6-0) landed singles wins as well.
Boys Golf
The Mustangs improved to 10-2 in the Valley Oak League with a 215-stroke score as they landed a forfeit win over Lathrop on April 18 at the Oakdale Golf and Country Club.
Ian Stogdell shot a 37 while Nathan Lute carded a 39. Isaac Valdez (43), Daniel Licea (47), Logan Schultz (49) and Domenic Fauria (49) also recorded scores.
The Mustangs had ended eighth among 18 teams at the McNair Invitational three days prior. Issac Rellamas carded a 74 for Oakdale while Stogdell landed a 75.
Oakdale hosted East Union in a battle for first place on Tuesday, though results were not available at press time. The Mustangs are at Sonora on Thursday, April 25.
Softball
Oakdale has won 10 straight softball games, and bested dangerous Weston Ranch 12-4 on April 17 to claim a key conference victory. The Mustangs were tied 4-4 after five innings, but erupted for an eight-run sixth inning.
Haley Fuller belted a home run in the win, and added another two days later as Oakdale beat Lathrop 6-2.
Fuller was 3 for 5 with three walks, five RBIs, and three runs across the two games.
Hanna Holland was 3 for 5 with two runs and a stolen base in the first game, while Kindra Hackbarth belted two hits, Shelby Cordova doubled, Madison Hackbarth managed two hits and Rylie Pena went 2 for 3 with two runs and a stolen base. Pena also pitched the victory with eight strikeouts, seven hits and seven walks.
Melinda Koppinger tossed four innings and Anneliese Davis three as Oakdale beat Lathrop. The two combined for 14 strikeouts. Kelsey Hardy (1 for 2, run), Davis (2 for 4), Samantha Galvan (1 for 2) and Lauren Sanders (2 for 4, run, RBI) swung the bat well.
Oakdale hosts East Union today, April 24 for a key conference contest. Things heat up again on Friday, April 26, as the Mustangs host Kimball.
Oakdale (15-6-1, 7-2) is second in a conference standing that includes five teams with a shot at the playoffs. East Union (6-2) and Kimball (5-3) will be desperate to beat the Lady Mustangs.
Girls Soccer
The Mustangs (12-6-1, 6-4) played Weston Ranch (1-5) on Tuesday, though results were not available at press time.
Oakdale hosts Manteca (4-3-1) on Thursday, April 25, for a game that will go a long way toward deciding which team reaches the playoffs, considering Oakdale sits third and Manteca fourth behind Kimball (9-0) and East Union (8-1-1).
Two goals each by Jill Kahler and Madison Feuerstein joined scores by Denise Thompson and Danae Rose during a 6-0 win over Lathrop on April 16. Hannah Hanko landed four saves and a shutout in the win.
Oakdale would lose to East Union 2-0 two days later, despite five saves each by Hanko and Mackenzie Weiglein.
