Yuba City junior pitcher Tori Hernandez (6) follows through on her home run in the Lady Honkers’ 13-0 victory over Marysville on Wednesday, March 6.

Yuba City 13, Marysville 0 

MARYSVILLE, CA (MPG) - The Yuba City Lady Honkers beat the Marysville girls softball team on Wednesday, March 6, for the first time since the 2021 season in their 13-0 victory.

Yuba City junior pitcher Tori Hernandez pitched a no-hitter and barely missed a perfect game by allowing a walk in the fourth inning. In addition to the great performance in the circle, Hernandez struck out 12 Lady Indians and hit a moonshot two-run home run in the fourth inning.

Lady Honkers sophomore shortstop Chloe Gonzales led the game with five runs-batted-in (RBI), including a two-RBI single in the fifth inning to score the 12th and 13th run of the game for Yuba City.

Yuba City senior catcher Lexi Dell (1) connects with a ball in the Lady Honkers’ 13-0 win over Marysville on Wednesday, March 6.

In her first season as head coach of the program, Lady Honkers Head Coach Patty Gates has already established the fundamental base for the team as senior catcher/captain Lexi Dell expressed to the Dispatch. 

Gates told the Dispatch she wanted her team to hold one another accountable throughout the season and play for one another.

Marysville dropped to 0-2 after the loss to Yuba City and Lady Indians Assistant Coach Jeff Bartolome told the Dispatch that a lot of the girls on the roster will be adjusting to new positions as they are still in the works of people finding their place on the diamond.

Marysville played in the Jackson tournament on Thursday, March 7, where they went 0-2 to Linden and Sonora. They combined for three runs and three hits between the two games. Bartolome expressed to the Dispatch that he wanted to see the team gain unification with one another throughout the tournament.

Marysville junior pitcher Janis Sutton (6) throws a pitch in the Lady Indians’ 13-0 loss to Yuba City on Wednesday, March 6.

Yuba City went 3-2 in Chico from Friday, March 8, through Saturday, March 9, in the Chico tournament as the two losses were to CIF Northern Section perennial powers University Prep and Pleasant Valley.

Yuba City junior infielder Alexia Alvarez (7) lays down a bunt in the first inning of the Lady Honkers’ 13-0 win over Marysville on Wednesday, March 6.

Sutter 

The Sutter Union Lady Huskies softball team opened their 2024 season in Chico on March 8-9 as they were one of three area teams in the tournament.

Sutter went 5-0 and run-ruled four out of the five games in total for 70 runs in the five-game stretch. The Lady Huskies exploded for 76 hits as a team, including 26 extra-base hits. Sutter senior pitcher/Boise State signee Olivia Bauer opened her senior campaign in the pitching circle with a five-inning no-hitter against Willows.

Lady Huskies’ Head Coach Stefanie Danna told the Dispatch it was an all-around team effort and everyone saw a good amount of time on the field. Danna added that along with the great offensive production, it allowed her and her staff to see how versatile the team is.

Danna told the Dispatch one of the goals they had this season as a team was to take control of games early and they did that in Chico. Sutter opened Pioneer Valley League play on Wednesday as they hosted Center and are scheduled to play at Wheatland today at 4 p.m.

 

River Valley

The River Valley Lady Falcons softball team went 4-1 in the Chico tournament that was held March 8-9. River Valley’s lone loss came to Red Bluff in a 9-0 defeat where the Lady Falcons were no-hit.

The impressive victories over University Prep, Orland and Willows were all over Northern Section playoff teams.

River Valley junior first baseman Claudia Dudek clobbered eight hits and seven RBI’s and senior outfielder Alexis Otero brought in nine RBI’s throughout the five games in the tournament.

Lady Falcons junior pitcher Payton Smith controlled the circle for River Valley in the tournament primarily. In the final week prior to the Lady Falcons starting CVC play, they hosted Oroville on Tuesday and are scheduled to host Davis today at 4 p.m.