The Oakdale High School varsity baseball team defeated the Weston Ranch Cougars in a 6-0 shutout recently. This non-conference game took place on March 11. Oakdale scored three runs in the sixth inning to put away the Cougars.

Griffin Costa led the Mustangs with a pair of doubles, three hits, three RBI and two runs scored. On the day, Oakdale had seven total hits, as Tommy Chance, Christian Diebner, Glen Weber and Landon Schutte all added a hit along with Costa’s three hits.

Schutte was on the mound for Oakdale and pitched the complete game shutout. Through seven innings of work, he gave up just two hits to Weston Ranch. He also had an astounding 16 strikeouts.

Two days later, Oakdale defeated Tracy 10-4. Oakdale scored five runs in the first inning to help power their way past the Bulldogs. Weber went yard for Oakdale in the win. The Mustangs had four additional extra base hits in the game including Carlo Antinetti, Eric Velazquez (double and a triple) and Schutte.

Pitching for the Mustangs was truly a team effort. Chance pitched three-and-a-third innings and surrendered three earned runs, issued four walks, gave up three hits and struck out four. Trey Parsons pitched two-and-two-thirds innings and gave up just one hit and struck out five. Ayden Ardis pitched one inning and struck out two batters.

Friday night, March 15 Oakdale suffered its first loss of the preseason. On the road Oakdale lost to Clovis 5-0. Up 3-0 in the fourth inning, Clovis tacked on a pair of runs in the fourth inning to pull away from the Mustangs. Oakdale gave up 11 hits in the road loss. Jordan Haver pitched four innings giving up four earned runs off eight hits.

This week, Oakdale opens up their Valley Oak League season. First on tap is Central Catholic. The Mustangs will host the Raiders in a game scheduled for Friday, March 22 at 4 p.m.