St. Francis softball’s Jenkins twins flex power in win over Cosumnes Oaks
When the team in red and gold approaches, and they go by Troubadours, expect a heavy dose of double-trouble.
At St. Francis High School, home or away, this means a lot of Grace and Hope Jenkins, meaning power in the circle, at the plate and behind it.
On Tuesday afternoon in Elk Grove, the twins flexed more muscle in doing their part as No. 7 St. Francis hammered out an 8-3 victory at Cosumnes Oaks in a Delta League contest.
The twins are not identical though they’re asked that often even while standing next to each other, but they were equal in impact again as the Troubadours (7-1) won their seventh consecutive game and moved to 5-0 on the road.
Hope Jenkins tossed a complete-game two-hitter, striking out 10. She started strong, fanning the side in the first inning, then two in the second, and the only runs she allowed were unearned or walks (she walked three total).
She also helped her cause by ripping a two-run home run well over the scoreboard in left field that left everyone frozen for a moment in a bit of admiration, scoring Grace, who doubled. Grace has been her sister’s batterymate at catcher for as long as they’ve played, and they read each other like a book.
How in tune are the twins?
“All (five) of the home runs I’ve hit this season, my sister was on base,” Hope said afterward with a laugh, her sister sharing in the giddy theme. “We’re like soulmates. We literally read each other’s minds. When she suggests a pitch, I’ll think, ‘I was thinking the same thing!’”
And more in-tune vibes: Hope said when she dings her elbow, or bumps her knee or head, Grace will approach and wonder, “Why does my head hurt?”
Added Grace, “When my sister does well, I’m pumped up, too. We share that.”
Hope’s homer gave St. Francis a 5-0 lead in the third inning. The Troubadours scored three in the first, including a Grace single and run. St. Francis pushed it to 7-1 in the fourth, and Cosumnes Oaks closed to within 7-3 in the bottom of that inning on the strength of a walk, an error, an RBI single — the team’s first hit — by Jovi Stevens.
Mostly, Hope Jenkins cruised as she had three 1-2-3 innings and four shutout innings. She struck out four consecutive batters at one point.
Hope also had a double at the plate and Gracie had two hits and a walk. So, double-trouble indeed.
“They’re like men!” is how St. Francis coach Kevin Warren sized it up with a hearty laugh of admiration. “The twins are so strong, so good. They’re absolutely tremendous. They remind me of the old days at St. Francis when we were at the top of the heap.”
On the topic of double-trouble, that’s what the coaching staff has been for the better part of 25 years at St. Francis. For a long stretch, Al LoGiudice was the head coach and Warren the assistant. For the last five seasons, the roles have been reversed.
The old pals, coaching together since 1989, praise their players when warranted, and scold them just the same.
The coaches challenged the Troubadours after the game in a team huddle to play a cleaner game, to cut down the errors, to stop kicking the ball around, to back the pitcher. Everyone agreed.
“We do that because we care, and we know how good this team can be,” LoGiuidice said. “The kids need to challenge each other, but don’t come away with animosity. It’s OK to challenge each other without hurting feelings.”
St. Francis has the twins, both headed to Connecticut after their senior season next season, and a lot of support around them. Jazzy Basquez and Amy Abueg had doubles, Francesca Guerra had two hits, Aelx Garcia drove in a run, Kayla Garber drew a walk, Daniella Guerrera had two RBI and walked twice and Sage Davis had a hit, two walks and an RBI, and Olivia McFarland, Haley Kim and Isabelle Vela each contributed on defense or working the count against the Wolfpack’s tough pitcher in Andrea Laine, who struck out four.
Back to the twins. Who’s the better student? Hope has a 3.7 grade-point average and Grace a 4.3. The best athlete at the dinner table?
That’s mom Kathleen, a multisport player in the Bay Area who wound up playing point guard at Sacramento State. Or perhaps their grandfather, John Hannigan.
“We have such great support,” Grace said of her family.
Back to the big picture: the coaches said they reminded their club, “you have to play nearly perfect in the Delta League to win this thing.”
“We have to be at our best, or we’ll get beat,” Warren said. “We’re getting there.”