Junior pitcher Delainey Everett struck out 16 batters as the Oakdale Lady Mustang varsity softball team edged the visiting Gregori Jaguars 2-0 on the Mustang softball field on Monday, March 14. Everett was unhittable over the first two-and-two-thirds innings, striking out eight in a row before Jaguar centerfielder Gabby Castro scratched out an infield hit in the third. In all, the Jaguars only managed four baserunners in the seven-inning game on one additional hit in the sixth inning, an error and a walk.
Offensively, the Mustangs threatened in the first inning on back-to-back singles by the number two and three hitters, seniors Danny Romo and Amanda Bricker, but were unable to score. The Mustangs (10-0) had runners reach base in each stanza as they collected six hits and were aided by a Jaguar walk and three errors.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, leadoff hitter Bailey Peterson singled and stole second. Romo (2-for-3) then singled to center sending Peterson to third. Romo rounded first base and went halfway to second as the throw in went to the cut off player near the pitcher’s mound. When the Jaguars then tried to make a play on Romo, head coach Larry Loger sent Peterson to the plate and she scored while Romo safely slid into second base. Following another out, left-handed hitter Delainey Everett sent a screaming line drive to left field which glanced off the fielder’s glove sending Avery Brown, running for Romo, around third and across the plate. The Mustangs were then able to shut down the Jaguars in the final two stanzas to preserve the narrow win.
Hitting stars for the Mustangs were Peterson (1-for-3 with a run scored), Romo (2-for-3 with a run scored), Bricker (2-for-3), and Morgan Wright (1-for-3). The Mustangs travel to Escalon for a rematch against the Lady Cougars of Escalon High School on Wednesday and finish the week on Friday at home against Calaveras High School.
Also on Monday, the JV softball team defeated Gregori 13-0.
Earlier games saw the Lady Mustangs nailing down a 14-4 win against Patterson on March 10; while they also won road games on March 8, 8-1, over Merced and on March 7, they took a 14-0 decision off the field from Franklin of Elk Grove.
The JV girls were winners against both Patterson and Franklin as well.
BASEBALL
On the road for their games, the varsity and JV Mustangs were in action against Hughson and Lodi. On Friday, March 11 the varsity boys crafted a 9-1 win over Hughson with Gabriel Rosales driving in a pair of runs. Johnny Wylie and Landon Nunes scored two runs apiece while AJ Sapwell, Preston Vieira and Alex Jones each had two hits in the victory. They were on the road for a Thursday game, March 10 and fell by a 10-9 final in Lodi. The Mustangs tied it up with three runs in the top of the seventh but Lodi plated a run for the victory in the bottom of the frame. Vieira had three RBI in the contest, Wylie drove in two runs. Lodi rapped out 17 hits in the game against Mustang pitching.
For the JV boys, they fell by a 13-0 verdict to Lodi, and lost a close one, 6-5 to Hughson.
The freshmen, meanwhile, were at home and played to a 7-2 loss against Lodi.
Action for the Mustang track and field, golf and tennis athletes is also gearing up; look for information on those squads in the coming weeks as they enter Valley Oak League play.
And, closing out a successful season at the junior high level, members of the OJHS seventh grade basketball team, under head coach Jackson Barnes, compiled a perfect 17-0 mark for their campaign. They took first place honors earlier in the season at the Prescott Tournament and then capped the regular season by winning the league tournament and title.
