The Escalon varsity softball girls won two games this week, their JV counterparts won one, both teams defeating Trans-Valley League opponents.
In a make-up game at Livingston on Tuesday, April 30, the varsity squad took a 7-3 win off the diamond.
“Bella (Strach) was in the circle, she had 13 strikeouts, seven walks, three hit batters and allowed four hits,” head coach Art Brooks said.
Escalon took the early lead, erupting for four runs in the first inning. They never relinquished that lead, adding one more run in the third to go up 5-0. Livingston answered back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the third, trimming the Escalon advantage to 5-3. That was the only inning the host Lady Wolves would score in, however, and the Lady Cougars scored single runs in the fourth and sixth to take the 7-3 victory.
“Malia Babasa went 2-for-2 with two walks, Brooke Campbell was 2-for-3 with three RBI,” Brooks said.
Also notching hits in the road win were Strach, Sage Davis, Brooke Davis and Ariel Astabie.
Thursday, the varsity girls went to Modesto Christian and took a run-shortened game by a 20-0 final, the game going just five innings.
“Brooke Davis threw a one-hitter and had 12 strikeouts,” Brooks noted.
Lexy Underwood and Hailie Webster each went 4-for-5 on the day; Underwood had three doubles and drove in two runs while Webster had four stolen bases. Babasa went 3-for-3, Brooke Davis was 3-for-3 and Hannah Boyd also added a couple of hits.
“What was really nice was Cheyenne Parker sent a three-run homer over the fence,” noted Brooks. “Also contributing hits were Sage Davis, Bella, Marissa Gonzalez and Leticia Gutierrez.”
The team was buoyed this week by the addition of outfielder Lupe Tapia, moving up from the JV team as the varsity squad prepares for the postseason.
“She’s a team motivator,” Brooks said of Tapia’s vocal presence in the dugout.
Escalon’s varsity girls are scheduled to play their final Trans-Valley League game of the season on the road May 8 at Riverbank. Playoff action will begin May 13.
JUNIOR VARSITY
The young Lady Cougars traveled for a make-up game at Livingston and came away with a 16-7 victory in the Tuesday, April 30 contest.
“We started off a little slow but were able to light a spark and play our game,” said coach Kristin Beckman. “All of the girls played excellent and I could not be any more proud of them this season.”
Highlight for the finale came from Daisy Farias, Beckman added.
“She went 3-for-5 and played an outstanding game on defense,” said the coach.
The JV girls ended their season with a 9-8-1 record overall and 6-2 in league.
“As our season has come to an end we would like to wish the varsity team good luck with the rest of the regular season as well as postseason,” Beckman said.
