East Nic Baseball and Softball Split Series Against Winters

Apr 21, 2026 03:51PM ● By YSBC Sports

East Nicolaus sophomore Lily Smith (16) slides into home safely during the Spartans’ win against Winters on April 14. Photo by Steven Bryla

EAST NICOLAUS, CA (YSBC) - The East Nicolaus Spartans Baseball and Softball teams split a dual-sport Sacramento Valley League game against the Winters Warriors on April 14 where baseball lost 5-3 and softball won 11-2.

Baseball

Winters 5, East Nicolaus 3

Both teams came into the matchup on Tuesday with a 7-0 league and Winters had won five-consecutive games heading into the matchup.

Winters scored two in the second and two in the fourth for a four-run lead after the top of the fourth.

The Warriors were patient at the plate and raised the pitch count of East Nicolaus senior Brady Johnson to 48 after two innings.

The Spartans offensively didn’t have any issues getting their lead-off hitter on base as they led each of the first-six innings with a leadoff base runner.

East Nicolaus pieced together a couple runs and cut the Winters deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth as senior outfielder Wade Lauppe hit in two runs-batted-in (RBIs) with a double to right field.

East Nicolaus senior pitcher Brody Johnson (27) throws a pitch on Tuesday, April 14 during the Spartans’ loss to Winters. Photo by Steven Bryla

The Warriors extended their lead 5-2 in the fifth off a sacrifice bunt and Johnson cruised for the rest of the inning to end his day on the mound.

Johnson tossed five innings and surrendered five runs off of six hits, walked four and struck out five.

Spartans junior Mikey Miller hit a two out RBI-single to right in the sixth that brought East Nicolaus to a two-run deficit.

Miller pitched the final two innings for the Spartans in the loss where he allowed two hits and struck out two.

Mikey and sophomore infielder William Miller led East Nicolaus with two-hits each for the Spartans.

East Nicolaus junior Mikey Miller (2) hits the ball on a April 14 during the Spartans’ loss to Winters. Photo by Steven Bryla

East Nicolaus head coach Kyler Caldwell said that he was happy with the way the Spartans swung the bat.

Caldwell added that defensively, he would like to see improvement as he felt they are capable of playing better defense.

The Spartans hosted the Maxwell Panthers on April 15 in a 7-5 defeat, which was the second time this season that has dropped two-games in a row.

Caldwell said that his team has been swinging the bat well and added 11 hits in the loss to Maxwell.

East Nicolaus won the second game of the series against Winters with a 6-3 victory on April 17 to secure a tie for second in the Sacramento Valley League standings with Winters.

East Nicolaus sophomore William Miller (30) swings at a ball during the Spartans’ defeat to Winters on April 14. Photo by Steven Bryla

Softball

East Nicolaus 11, Winters 2

East Nicolaus won their 12th consecutive game to open the 2026 season as an offensive outpour in the second inning propelled the Spartans to the win.

East Nicolaus junior pitcher Kylah Glenn picked up her ninth win of the year as she tossed a complete game where she allowed three hits and sent 11 Winters hitters back to the bench empty on strikes.

The Spartans pounded 11 hits in the win and senior Kaylyn Ponce led the way with three hits with an RBI during the game.

East Nicolaus junior Skylar Kim had three RBIs from a couple of hits throughout the victory.

Spartans head coach Dustin Massey said that the main focus moving forward for the remainder of the regular season is to finish strong and attempt to claim another SVL title.

East Nicolaus junior Kaylah Glenn (27) tosses a pitch on April 14 during the Spartans’ win against Winters. Photo by Steven Bryla

East Nicolaus has claimed at least a share of the last five SVL titles, as they shared the league title with Colusa in 2025. The Spartans have claimed a league title every season starting in 2011.

Massey said the girls have a special bond together as they show up daily with a great attitude and have one another’s back.

He added the trust they have between is strong and the team has set the standard of how a team should play for one another.

The Spartans are the defending CIF NorCal Division IV Champions and always have a competitive non-league schedule where they focus on playing teams from the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section.