Losing their first game of the week by a single run, the Escalon varsity softball girls then split four games at the Argonaut Tournament in Jackson.
Tuesday, they were at Manteca and lost 1-0 in eight innings.
"We went to the international tiebreaker format," said coach Dianne Teixeira. "We had seven hits, Megan Velting did the pitching and it was a good game."
Mandy San Julian went 2-for-3 in the contest, as did Erica Bogar.
At the Argonaut tourney, the girls started Friday off with a 7-6 win over Bear River in a five-inning game, cut short due to time constraints.
"We got a couple of hits and we scored four runs in the fifth, we were the home team," Teixeira said, noting they came from behind to take the win.
San Julian and Bogar each had doubles, Jen Costa was the winning pitcher and went 2-for-3 to help her own cause. In the big inning, the Lady Cougars took advantage of four walks and a hit batter to push some runs across the plate.
In their second game of the day Friday against Placer, the girls lost 3-2, losing in the final inning on an error.
"Megan pitched again and she pitched an awesome game but they scored three runs in the sixth on an error, the ball just kept rolling," noted Teixeira. "That put us on the consolation side of the bracket."
Carmen Dollarhide went 2-for-3 in the losing effort.
Saturday, the girls started off with a 2-1 win over Amador.
"We scored two in the seventh," Teixeira said of the late game comeback.
"I hope we don't keep doing that all season, it will drive me crazy," she added of waiting until their final at bat to score.
Shannon Krein was 2-for-3 in the game with a single and a double, San Julian and Bogar added triples.
"We had back-to-back hits, a double, triple and triple," Teixeira said of scoring in the final inning.
The girls then went into the consolation title game against host Argonaut, losing 6-4.
"We had a lot of errors in the beginning," admitted Teixeira. "We just need to relax and make the plays. Our pitchers are great, we have to play solid defense behind them."
Velting and Costa provide a potent left-hand, right-hand pitching combination for the Lady Cougars and Teixeira said with the hitting also starting to come on, the varsity girls should be ready for competition in the tough Trans-Valley League.
Teixeira also pointed to solid defense behind the plate and at first base from Krein and San Julian, both also able to provide team leadership for younger players.
"Right now, the win-loss doesn't count, it's what we do in the TVL," Teixeira said. "I think we have a chance at the title, we have to get past Patterson, they always seem to be in the way."
Friday, the girls will host Amador in their final pre-season tune up before jumping into TVL play on Wednesday, March 23. They will be at Hughson for the opener.
By MARG JACKSON
Tuesday, they were at Manteca and lost 1-0 in eight innings.
"We went to the international tiebreaker format," said coach Dianne Teixeira. "We had seven hits, Megan Velting did the pitching and it was a good game."
Mandy San Julian went 2-for-3 in the contest, as did Erica Bogar.
At the Argonaut tourney, the girls started Friday off with a 7-6 win over Bear River in a five-inning game, cut short due to time constraints.
"We got a couple of hits and we scored four runs in the fifth, we were the home team," Teixeira said, noting they came from behind to take the win.
San Julian and Bogar each had doubles, Jen Costa was the winning pitcher and went 2-for-3 to help her own cause. In the big inning, the Lady Cougars took advantage of four walks and a hit batter to push some runs across the plate.
In their second game of the day Friday against Placer, the girls lost 3-2, losing in the final inning on an error.
"Megan pitched again and she pitched an awesome game but they scored three runs in the sixth on an error, the ball just kept rolling," noted Teixeira. "That put us on the consolation side of the bracket."
Carmen Dollarhide went 2-for-3 in the losing effort.
Saturday, the girls started off with a 2-1 win over Amador.
"We scored two in the seventh," Teixeira said of the late game comeback.
"I hope we don't keep doing that all season, it will drive me crazy," she added of waiting until their final at bat to score.
Shannon Krein was 2-for-3 in the game with a single and a double, San Julian and Bogar added triples.
"We had back-to-back hits, a double, triple and triple," Teixeira said of scoring in the final inning.
The girls then went into the consolation title game against host Argonaut, losing 6-4.
"We had a lot of errors in the beginning," admitted Teixeira. "We just need to relax and make the plays. Our pitchers are great, we have to play solid defense behind them."
Velting and Costa provide a potent left-hand, right-hand pitching combination for the Lady Cougars and Teixeira said with the hitting also starting to come on, the varsity girls should be ready for competition in the tough Trans-Valley League.
Teixeira also pointed to solid defense behind the plate and at first base from Krein and San Julian, both also able to provide team leadership for younger players.
"Right now, the win-loss doesn't count, it's what we do in the TVL," Teixeira said. "I think we have a chance at the title, we have to get past Patterson, they always seem to be in the way."
Friday, the girls will host Amador in their final pre-season tune up before jumping into TVL play on Wednesday, March 23. They will be at Hughson for the opener.
By MARG JACKSON
