AROUND THE HORN: A change at the top
League play is only a week old in most conferences around the Mid-Valley and it already feels like playoff time.
On Friday, River Valley High’s baseball and softball teams were both involved in tight ballgames right next to each other on campus. The two games came down to the wire and gave an early indication of what to expect from the Tri-County Conference this season.
The Yuba City baseball team received an early test from a former conference opponent and, after losing two games by a combined score of 19-0, the Lindhurst Blazers baseball team knocked off rival Marysville 2-1 on Friday.
Things have only started to get interesting though. Big-time matchups are on the horizon this week, including a battle for the top spot in the Butte View League.
Plus, we have a new team sitting on top of the baseball rankings. First, let’s recap the action from last week.
WEEK 5 HEADLINES
Dynamic duel
The River Valley and Pioneer softball teams could have brought tennis rackets to Friday’s game and it probably wouldn’t have mattered much – not with the way the two pitchers in the circle were dominating.
Falcons right-hander Courtney Smith and Pioneer’s Brittanie Akey tossed up zeros on the scoreboard for nine innings until the Patriots finally broke through in the top of the 10th due to some defensive miscues by the Falcons.
Coach Andy Pearson said that 2-0, extra-inning loss isn’t going to sit too well with his team, but he knows they can bounce back.
The Falcons already have April 19 circled on the calendar. That’s when they get a shot at payback in Woodland.
Who’s afraid of the big, bad Wolves?
Last season the Woodland High baseball team didn’t lose a series in league play.
River Valley’s baseball team ended that streak and defeated the Wolves 4-3 on Friday to take their TCC-opening series with Woodland, two games to one.
The Falcons’ schedule doesn’t get any easier though.
Pioneer comes into town on Tuesday to begin a three-game series, though River Valley holds the home-field advantage with two games being played in Yuba City.
The Patriots are 6-2 this season and opened league play with a 3-0 sweep of Inderkum.
May day
If the Wheatland softball team hopes to dethrone Sutter from the top of the BVL, sophomore Randi May will need to stay hot.
In Friday’s doubleheader sweep over Gridley, May threw a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts in game one and followed that up with a perfect game in the nightcap.
Wheatland (9-6, 4-0) heads to Sutter on Tuesday to face the defending champs in what should be the game of the week in the area.
Sutter is also undefeated in league, led by the bat of All-Area shortstop Courtney Gravel, who is batting .561 this season.
WEEK 5 RANKINGS
BASEBALL
1. Maxwell (11-0, 4-0) – Look past what division the Panthers play in and anyone can see why this team has moved to No. 1.
Besides a perfect record, they have the best pitching tandem in the area.
Tyler Wells and Steven Perry, who are both in recruiting talks with Division-I college programs, each pitched another no-hitter last week.
2. Yuba City (6-2, 3-0) – The Honkers breezed through the Natomas Nighthawks last week in their first TCC series of the season.
Sandwiched in between that series was a tough 9-7 loss to Division-II Granite Bay.
Both River Valley coach Billy Rollins and Woodland skipper Felix Castillo still consider the Honkers to be a team to watch out for in the TCC.
3. River Valley (5-3, 2-1) – Rollins has a couple of aces in Jake Phillips and Cameron Olson who can match up with any rotation in the league.
The Falcons will be in the driver’s seat in the TCC if they can take two of three from Pioneer this week.
4. Marysville (5-2, 4-1) – Lindhurst’s Timmy Zucco stymied the Indians’ lineup on Friday and the Blazers handed Marysville its first loss in Golden Empire League play.
The Indians will play two against Capital Christian this week and finish it off with a non-league game against Bear River. Marysville already beat the Cougars this season 10-2.
5. Wheatland (7-3, 4-0) – It’s time for the Pirates to really see where they stand in the BVL.
Tuesday’s game with Sutter, much like the showdown between the two schools’ softball teams, will be a marquee matchup.
Wheatland right-hander Nolan West (3-1, 0.28 ERA) has been nearly untouchable this season and will get the ball on Tuesday.
“This would be a huge win for us,” coach Eric Valencia said. “We know Sutter is always well-coached and a solid program.”
On deck: Sutter (6-2, 1-1) – It was a good week for coach Mark Renfree and the Huskies last week, who went 4-0.
SOFTBALL
1. River Valley (6-2-1, 1-1) – The Falcons shouldn’t have a problem rebounding from that tough loss on Friday, with road games this week against Natomas and Inderkum.
2. Yuba City (11-2, 2-0) – Yuba City’s torrid start will be put to the test this week with defending TCC-champion Pioneer coming in.
The Honkers are batting .340 as a team led by senior shortstop Maria LaBouyer’s .475 clip and freshman Anjelica Cisneros, who is hitting .442 with 13 RBIs.
3. Sutter (10-5, 2-0) – Figuring out May will be the Huskies’ main goal on Tuesday, though if last season was any indication, Sutter may have the upper hand.
The Huskies beat May twice in 2010.
4. Colusa (13-2-1, 2-0) – Tiffany Friel moved into second place on the Northern Section’s all-time strikeout list last week with 46 punchouts in four games.
5. Marysville (5-4, 2-1) – GEL play continues this week for the Indians with a game at West Campus on Wednesday and a matchup at Abby Field on Friday with Mesa Verde.
On deck: Wheatland (9-6, 4-0) – Look for the Pirates to crack the top 5 with a good showing this week.
BASEBALL GAMES TO WATCH: Pioneer vs. River Valley, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 4:15 p.m.; Wheatland at Sutter, Tuesday, 4:15 p.m.
SOFTBALL GAME TO WATCH: Wheatland at Sutter, Tuesday, 4:15 p.m.
WHERE THE A-D WILL BE:
Tuesday – Pioneer at River Valley baseball
Wednesday – Pioneer at Yuba City softball
Thursday – Pierce at Colusa softball/basebal
