Rained out on Tuesday, the Escalon varsity softball girls played back-to-back games on Thursday and Friday this past week, getting two wins in the process.
They were scheduled to host Ripon on April 21 but the deluge of rainfall that hit Escalon wiped out all sporting events for the day.
Head coach Lexy Underwood, with her dad Bo serving as assistant coach, said the team started their schedule on the road Thursday, April 23 at Orestimba and came away with a 9-6 win, answering quickly after Orestimba took an early lead. Freshman Tenley Adams put Escalon on top to stay with a two-RBI single in the fourth inning. She had three runs driven in on the afternoon. Freshman Lauryn Siegel was the winning pitcher for Escalon.
The April 21 game was rescheduled for the home field on Friday, April 24 and Escalon got the win via 10-run rule, effectively shutting down the visiting Ripon Lady Indians and taking an 11-1 win. Adams was the winning pitcher.
Leading the way offensively in that game for Escalon was Ari Velasco, notching three hits and driving in four runs. She had a two-RBI triple in the first to put Escalon on top early, with a pair of RBI singles in both the third and fourth innings.
Madi Babasa went 4-for-4 and drove in the winning run in the bottom of the fifth to give Escalon the 10-run decision.
Scoring from third on the play as Babasa ripped a single up the middle was freshman Addy Lopez, who also worked a strong game behind the plate for Escalon.
“I feel like it’s very competitive and very stressful at some times but it’s very fun to be out here with these girls because they’re all super supportive,” Lopez said, adding that scoring the winning run against rival Ripon was a great way to end the game. “It felt very good; I’ve never had that experience before so it was very exciting for me.”
Escalon improved to 7-3 in the TVL with the twin wins and look to keep the momentum going as they eye a spot in the postseason.
The JV girls had a harder time of it, as they lost both their games, falling 15-5 to Orestimba on Thursday and losing 13-1 to Ripon.
BASEBALL
It was a tough week for the varsity baseball team, as the Cougars dropped a pair of crucial Trans-Valley League games to rival Ripon.
Escalon entered the week with a 6-2 record in TVL but with the losses, fell to 6-4 and need to sweep their two-game series with Orestimba this week to get into the playoffs, noted head coach Gino Franceschetti.
Escalon traveled to Ripon for a Wednesday, April 22 game and lost a 10-6 decision there. They were home on Friday, April 24 to host the Indians but couldn’t get much going offensively. They made hard contact but had little to show for it, as Ripon shut them out, 5-0.
“We had plenty of opportunities to put up runs in game one and in game two we hit into six double plays with runners at third all six times,” Franceschetti said.
Escalon entered the week in fourth place in the TVL.
They were slated to travel to Orestimba for their April 28 game and will be home for Senior Night festivities and the regular season finale on Thursday, April 30.
It was the same storyline for the JV boys this past week, dropping two to Ripon, 13-3 on April 22; 7-5 on April 24.
TENNIS
With rain on Tuesday washing out a match, the Escalon varsity tennis team played back-to-back against Ripon Christian on Wednesday and Thursday, April 22 and 23. Both went in the books as losses for Escalon, with the Knights taking 6-3 wins in each contest.
The Cougars were able to regroup, though, and got a big win on the road to close out the week.
“We won 7-2 at Sonora on Friday so we were 11-3 in league, 14-3 overall and second place overall in league,” said head coach Julianne Eavenson.
Ripon Christian went 12-2 to earn the league title.
Escalon was ready to move on to section play at Oak Park in Stockton, with the individual singles matches set for April 28 and the doubles tourney on April 30.
Meanwhile, the Cougars also earned the number 3 seed in Division 1 as a team and will host Highlands in team sections on Friday, May 1 at Escalon starting at 4 p.m.
GOLF
Varsity golfers were in action at the seventh Trans-Valley League event this past week, hosted at The Reserve in Stockton. Head coach Brandon Hoover said the squad put together a solid effort, finishing in fourth place at the tourney. Ripon was first, followed by Ripon Christian, Hughson, Escalon, Sonora, Hilmar and Orestimba. Escalon shot 511 as a team, paced by the low score of 89 carded by Brenden Berchtold. Donovan Martinez shot a 100, Leo Serrano, 103; Joey Calcagno, 106; George Harding, 113; and Matix Trimble, 130.
“Brenden has consistently been in the top 10 all year. Donovan got off to a slow start due to basketball getting done later this year. He’s played solid in his last three tournaments,” Hoover explained. “The younger guys have consistently been getting better.”
VOLLEYBALL
Closing out their season on the road, Escalon’s varsity volleyball boys fell victim to a powerful Ripon Christian team on April 22. The host Knights swept the Cougars, winning in scores of 25-7, 25-9, 25-12. For Escalon, they ended the campaign with a 5-7 league record.
TRACK AND FIELD
On Wednesday, April 22, the Escalon Cougars track and field team went to Ripon and competed against both Ripon High and Ripon Christian.
“Although the Ripon Indians have a traditionally dominating track team, the Escalon girls did remarkably well, and many girls and boys, too many athletes in fact to mention here, got personal records,” said head coach Arend Jones.
Varsity girls scores saw Ripon defeat Escalon, 80-56; Escalon 106 put away Ripon Christian, 106-30; and Ripon topped RC, 105-26.
Senior girls putting together strong showings for Escalon were: Annabelle Armstrong, personal record in the 100-meter sprint with a 13.53; Olivia Aceves got a PR in shot put with 25 feet, 0 inches; Gloria Segura got a PR in discus at 104 feet, 7 inches; and Natalie Worley got a PR in discus with 72 feet, 6 inches.
The Escalon varsity boys lost 100-36 to Ripon but defeated Ripon Christian 114-21. Ripon outscored RC, 122-7.
Senior Jose De Luna got a PR in the 110-meter hurdles for Escalon with a time of 20.84.
“Then on Friday, the Cougars sent some freshmen and sophomores to Edison High School in Stockton, for the Frosh/Soph Twilight Championship meet. The Escalon Frosh/Soph girls won first place at the meet against seven other schools,” Jones said. “Sophomore Georgia Northcutt was awarded the Track & Field MVP of the meet placing third in the 400-meter dash and second in pole vault; sophomore Ava Rodriguez was awarded the Track MVP of the meet placing first in both the 100- and 300-meter hurdles.”
Also doubling up with strong showings in their events were freshman Amy Alvarado, who placed second and fourth in the 1600-and-800-meter runs; sophomore Karyna Dalpogetti placed second in shot put and third in discus; freshman Sophia Casillas placed second in discus and fourth in shot put.
Also, sophomore Fidel Segura placed third in both the 400-meter dash and triple jump; sophomore Kolten Kjellberg got PRs in both shot put and discus, placing fourth in discus.
“This week is an exciting and busy week for the team,” added Jones. “Wednesday April 29 they will be hosting Orestimba for Senior Night and Friday, May 1, they will be hosting the TVL Frosh/Soph Championship meet starting at 2 p.m.”
