Yuba City Beats River Valley, Sutter Goes 2-0
Apr 10, 2024 03:58PM ● By Steven Bryla, photos by Steven Bryla
YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - The Yuba City girls softball team beat the River Valley Lady Falcons for the first time since the 2021 season and stayed perfect in the Capital Valley Conference in the 3-0 victory on Tuesday, April 2.
The Yuba City win snapped a four-game losing streak in the series to River Valley. Any time there is a rivalry game, the adrenaline pumps more and the tensions are high, and this game displayed it.
Yuba City senior third baseman Mariah Rosales (12) watches her home run in the bottom of the fourth inning begin to go over the fence in the Lady Honkers’ 3-0 victory over River Valley on Tuesday, April 2.
The game was in a deadlock tie until the bottom of the fourth inning when Lady Honkers third baseman Mariah Rosales took an inside pitch and sent it over the left field fence for a 1-0 lead.
Rosales expressed to the Dispatch that her favorite pitch to go after is the inside pitch and she was able to get a good swing on the ball.
That was all Yuba City needed as junior pitcher Tori Gonzales pitched a solid game from the circle where she gave up five hits, walked three and struck out nine Lady Falcons in her fifth shutout of the season.
The Lady Honkers added insurance runs in the fifth and sixth inning for the 3-0 win. Yuba City Head Coach Patty Gates told the Dispatch that her team is still learning to compete at the level they are competing at.
“They stepped up, but are still working on building that strength to compete when they have that pressure,” Gates said.
Although River Valley was unsuccessful in getting their first CVC of the year, they had energy throughout the game and they had shining moments.
River Valley junior pitcher Payton Smith (1) throws a pitch in the Lady Falcons’ 3-0 defeat to Yuba City on Tuesday, April 2.
Lady Falcons junior pitcher Payton Smith also gave up five hits, walked one and struck out four batters, but the two later runs for Yuba City were both with runners in scoring position and two outs.
Smith expressed to the Dispatch that the River Valley defense and energy improved. River Valley’s hits were compiled by all underclassmen as sophomore shortstop Kaitlyn Garcia and center fielder Alexis Otero had two hits a piece and freshman infielder Ainsley Holley hit a single in the fourth inning to center field.
The four Lady Falcons agreed with one another that the fuel they had towards Yuba City can be used in their remaining games as a team.
River Valley was scheduled to host Inderkum this past Tuesday and play at Bella Vista yesterday, Thursday, April 11.
River Valley sophomore shortstop Kaitlyn Garcia (19) fields a ground ball in the Lady Falcons’ 3-0 loss to Yuba City on Tuesday, April 2.
Yuba City was scheduled to host Bella Vista on Tuesday and Roseville yesterday.
Rosales told the Dispatch for the Lady Honkers to continue their success, she believes that they need to keep the momentum of their victories this season.
“They always say a high tide floats a boat,” Rosales said. “We have to stay up and energetic, and that is going to ultimately get us to where we want to be.”
Sutter
ORCUTT, CA (MPG) - The Sutter Union girls softball team went 2-0 in the spring break tournament in Santa Maria last week as they beat Bullard (Fresno) 6-4 on Thursday, April 4, and Righetti (Santa Maria) on Saturday, April 6.
Sutter came back from later in the game against Bullard as a three runs-batted-in double to right center by senior third baseman/Sacramento State signee Alexa Carino in the bottom of the sixth inning propelled the Huskies for their 13th consecutive victory on the season.
The Huskies game that was scheduled for the second day was canceled due to weather and ended the weekend on a perfect note as they beat the host of the tournament (Righetti) in a 6-1 victory on Saturday, April 6.
Carino picked up her team leading 27th RBI on the season and senior pitcher/Boise State signee Olivia Bauer picked up her 11th victory on the season, striking out 10 hitters and giving up one hit and one walk in the winning effort.
Sutter was scheduled to start Pioneer Valley League play this week as they were scheduled to host Twelve Bridges (Lincoln) on Tuesday and go to Center (Antelope) yesterday.
