Sierra softball, baseball off to hot starts at the plate

After a walk-off loss in the 2020 season opener last Thursday in Merced, the Sierra College women's softball team has responded with three straight in the win column. In a Thursday doubleheader with the Blue Devils, Sierra responded to a seventh-inning walk-off with a run-rule thumping in the second game. Catcher Dallas Atchley (Lincoln) highlighted an early 7-2 lead for Sierra with a three-run homer while Bryanne Daniels (Ponderosa), Kaylee Winn (Del Oro) and Natalie Nash (Del Campo) each collected three hits apiece. But Merced crept back in the game, eventually tying at seven on a triple by Madison Kane, who later scored the game-winner on a sacrifice fly from Ariana Villa for the 8-7 win. Sierra bounced back in a big way later in the nightcap with a 10-run top of the second inning, highlighted by a double and a triple for three RBIs in the inning by Keeli Bryant (Pleasant Valley). Amaryssa Medina (River City) tossed a five-inning no-hitter, allowing just a bases-loaded walk while striking out nine in the 11-1 win for Sierra. In Saturday's home double-dip against Fresno City, Sierra again leaned on Medina in the circle as she flipped five more innings of two-hit, scoreless ball with eight punchouts. Amanda DuPriest (Del Oro) came in for a perfect two-inning save in Sierra's 4-0 win. Daniels went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI while Bryant and Isabella Valentin also drove in runs. Emily Thompson (Roseville) and DuPriest combined for seven one-run frames in the nightcap, allowing just five total hits in the 3-1 win over the Rams. Daniels went 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI. The sophomore first baseman is hitting .733 early on and has multiple knocks with at least one extra-base hit and an RBI in every game thus far. The Wolverines next play Saturday in a home doubleheader against Feather River at 10 a.m. and against San Mateo at 2 p.m. BASEBALL After a pair of losses to start the season, the Sierra baseball team has turned up the volume on the bats. In four wins since last Sunday, the Wolverines have outscored opponents by a total of 52-4. Sierra followed monster wins of 15-2 over Reedley Jan. 26 and 17-1 against Lassen Thursday with an 8-0 shutout Friday against Shasta and a 12-1 thrashing of Feather River Saturday. Austin Loeb (Woodcreek) went 5 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out eight. Nate Kujawski (Cherry Creek-Colorado) and Craig Schmich (Lincoln) preserved the shutout for Sierra. Catcher Drew Giglio (Franklin) doubled home a run and Zack Jensen (Damonte Ranch-Nevada) drove in another for Sierra, which took advantage of four Shasta errors. Kota Suzuki (Japan) added a pair of hits at the plate. Connor Harrison (Granite Bay) followed Loeb's mound performance with five strong frames of his own. Harrison gave up just one run on two hits with eight strikeouts. Mickey Coyne (Reno) and Drew Aguiar (Bella Vista) came in for four innings of one-hit relief. Jensen and Chase Thatcher (Del Oro) each homered for Sierra while Cameron Carr (Woodcreek) drove in four runs. The Wolverines also got doubles from Jensen, Suzuki, Kyle Williams (River Valley) and Isaiah Terrazas (Casa Roble) as they tacked on seven insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning for their fourth straight win.