Playing a busy slate of six games, the Riverbank varsity softball team managed to win just one of them. That was a 7-0 victory over Redding Christian on Saturday, March 12, in the Argonaut Tournament.
Most of the Bruins got a hit in a virtual slugfest against a team, which had driven over three hours to the tournament from their city located at the northern end of the Central Valley.
Two doubles and a triple came from the bat of Jaylene Thomas who went 3-for-4. Chelsi Walls went 3-for-5, and Courtney Brock, 2-for-3. Sara O'Dell, Tessa Lozano and Nicole Fatone each garnered a hit.
"But the person hitting the best at this time is our freshman Jaylene," said Riverbank coach Cassi Ross.
Walls pitched all the way, needing no assistance from back-up hurlers Kayla Sedain and Brock.
Earlier in the week, the Bruins lost to Central Catholic, 4-1, in an away game on Tuesday. They yielded to River City of Sacramento, 2-1, at the Argonaut Tournament on Thursday; were defeated by Manteca, 7-1, that same day in a second tournament game; then lost, 5-0, to Modesto Christian at home on Friday. They then returned to the tournament on Saturday to defeat Redding Christian, 7-0, and lose to Bear River, 4-0.
Against Central Catholic, the Bruins got one hit to their opponents seven, and scored their solitary run in the fifth inning when Central was already three runs ahead.
"Julissa Perez got on base, stole second and scored on a hit by Kayla Sedain," said Ross. "But we did not play well. Our outfielders were not getting the ball. We were not ready to play."
Against River City, Heather Frost led with a single and scored on Lozano's base hit in the fifth inning. River City posted both their runs in the fourth inning.
"It was a good game. We made six hits and River City got only two but that was enough to win. In the first, second and third innings, we had runners on second and third base but we could not score. We didn't get our hits at the right time," said Ross.
Walls pitched for the Bruins and garnered eight strikeouts while giving up only two hits.
In the Manteca game, Riverbank made too many errors, although the Bruins totaled six hits. Manteca got only two hits but scored six runs in the first inning while Riverbank's turn to score did not come until the fifth inning.
Then Thomas made the initial hit and Perez brought her home with another base hit.
In a 5-0 shutout by Modesto Christian, MC scattered eight hits and scored two runs in the third inning, one in the fifth and two more in the seventh. Riverbank made one error and managed one hit in reply. Walls again did the pitching into the glove of catcher Lozano.
The final loss to Bear River in the tournament was again a shutout by 4-0.
We did not get a single hit. We walked. We did not come ready to play. We were down after the first inning. Once we're behind on runs, we seem to have a hard time fighting back," said Ross.
Sedain pitched the first three innings, and Brock the remainder. Bear River scored three of its runs in the opening inning.
After that mammoth string of six games, the Bruins plan on playing just one game this week. That is slated for today, March 16, and is on the road against Amador. Next week Riverbank will open the Trans Valley League season at home to Ripon Christian on Wednesday.
Most of the Bruins got a hit in a virtual slugfest against a team, which had driven over three hours to the tournament from their city located at the northern end of the Central Valley.
Two doubles and a triple came from the bat of Jaylene Thomas who went 3-for-4. Chelsi Walls went 3-for-5, and Courtney Brock, 2-for-3. Sara O'Dell, Tessa Lozano and Nicole Fatone each garnered a hit.
"But the person hitting the best at this time is our freshman Jaylene," said Riverbank coach Cassi Ross.
Walls pitched all the way, needing no assistance from back-up hurlers Kayla Sedain and Brock.
Earlier in the week, the Bruins lost to Central Catholic, 4-1, in an away game on Tuesday. They yielded to River City of Sacramento, 2-1, at the Argonaut Tournament on Thursday; were defeated by Manteca, 7-1, that same day in a second tournament game; then lost, 5-0, to Modesto Christian at home on Friday. They then returned to the tournament on Saturday to defeat Redding Christian, 7-0, and lose to Bear River, 4-0.
Against Central Catholic, the Bruins got one hit to their opponents seven, and scored their solitary run in the fifth inning when Central was already three runs ahead.
"Julissa Perez got on base, stole second and scored on a hit by Kayla Sedain," said Ross. "But we did not play well. Our outfielders were not getting the ball. We were not ready to play."
Against River City, Heather Frost led with a single and scored on Lozano's base hit in the fifth inning. River City posted both their runs in the fourth inning.
"It was a good game. We made six hits and River City got only two but that was enough to win. In the first, second and third innings, we had runners on second and third base but we could not score. We didn't get our hits at the right time," said Ross.
Walls pitched for the Bruins and garnered eight strikeouts while giving up only two hits.
In the Manteca game, Riverbank made too many errors, although the Bruins totaled six hits. Manteca got only two hits but scored six runs in the first inning while Riverbank's turn to score did not come until the fifth inning.
Then Thomas made the initial hit and Perez brought her home with another base hit.
In a 5-0 shutout by Modesto Christian, MC scattered eight hits and scored two runs in the third inning, one in the fifth and two more in the seventh. Riverbank made one error and managed one hit in reply. Walls again did the pitching into the glove of catcher Lozano.
The final loss to Bear River in the tournament was again a shutout by 4-0.
We did not get a single hit. We walked. We did not come ready to play. We were down after the first inning. Once we're behind on runs, we seem to have a hard time fighting back," said Ross.
Sedain pitched the first three innings, and Brock the remainder. Bear River scored three of its runs in the opening inning.
After that mammoth string of six games, the Bruins plan on playing just one game this week. That is slated for today, March 16, and is on the road against Amador. Next week Riverbank will open the Trans Valley League season at home to Ripon Christian on Wednesday.
