Prep softball rankings: Elk Grove’s Buck wins 100th, league races sizzle to wire
As area high school teams leave the backstretch and head tightly bunched into the final turn, it’s anybody’s guess who will emerge as the Medina Spirit of this year’s softball derby. There are no playoffs for the Sac-Joaquin Section, so league championships will cap the races. Here’s a review of the top three leagues plus some other gems.
Delta League
The Thundering Herd of Elk Grove has the most wins in starting 17-3, and they are not ducking anyone. Elk Grove has moved back into the No. 3 ranking after blanking No. 7 St. Francis 2-0 in an important Delta matchup.
It was career coaching win No. 100 for hometown hero Amanda Buck, a product of the school where she now coaches. Her team went to social media to celebrate the milestone.
“It was a great win against a great team,” Buck said. “What got me a little choked up was seeing how the players really wanted to get this for me. I have to admit I cried when they gave me flowers on the field.”
Buck is a loyal Herd nerd, having played point guard during a record-setting run and shortstop for Elk Grove just before the turn of the century. The talented young coach also teaches at her beloved alma mater. Said the coach earlier this season on her Herd loyalty.
“I went into labor with my third child, my son Cody, in 2016 in right field during a practice,” Buck said. “Crazy.”
She said over the weekend, “The girls win the games, I just coach. They are a determined bunch of young ladies and are a pleasure to be around. We have tradition and talent which makes my job easy.”
Elk Grove is getting it done with timely hitting and great pitching. Catcher Brooklynn Pettis carries a .479 average with four home runs. Her 30 hits have produced 32 runs batted in. Sophomore Aissa Silva is far and away the area’s stat leader with this trifecta in the (winner’s) circle: 14-2 won-loss record, 174 strikeouts, and a 0.47.
Sheldon Heavy Hitters
No. 2 Sheldon has a team batting average of .408 with 26 home runs. Del Oro is hitting .365 with 24 homers in the Sierra Foothill League. Sheldon, who’s on-field record is 14-2, is having another stellar year and hitting the ball like the 1927 Yankees.
Pitcher Jaylee Ojo is as good at the plate as she is in the circle with a .465 batting average, and she leads the team with eight home runs and 30 RBIs. Dakota Kennedy is hitting .640 with 29 RBI and five dingers. Catcher Reina Zermeno is batting .525 with six long balls. How’s that for a softball version of “Murder’s Row”?
The big rematch May 11 at Sheldon will be a showdown of two big south area rivals. The Huskies beat Elk Grove in extra innings the first go-around.
Sierra Foothill League
Top-ranked Rocklin avenged its only loss with a 6-3 win at No. 4 Del Oro on Friday. Boise State-bound Brook Thompson continued to amaze with 10 strikeouts while allowing only four hits. Del Oro was held without a home run for the first time in 13 games.
Thompson’s teammate Claudia Kirchner has overstayed her welcome in Loomis. The senior second baseman stroked a triple and tallied two more hits to lead her team at the plate. The previous day she “pitched” a 3-0 shutout on Del Oro’s soccer field as the Thunder’s goalkeeper. The Eagles will be happy when she’s playing softball at Saint Mary’s next year.
But there’s another Kirchner coming down the track. Kid sister Gigi is already breaking varsity high hurdle records while also playing soccer, and she’s just a freshman.
Maybe the matchup of the week is a nonleague tilt; No. 5 Roseville at No 7 St. Francis. Roseville survived a scare from No. 17 East Nicolaus when ASU-bound junior Remington Hewitt blasted a two-run homer in the seventh inning before the Tigers prevailed 8-5.
“Roseville’s got a good squad and we needed that level of competition to understand where we’re headed,” said Spartan coach Neil Stinson. “We’ll get there.”
Foothill Valley League
The run for the roses in the FVL is a good one to keep an eye on with four teams in the fight.
Oakmont, Lincoln and Ponderosa have all been impressive in non league play. No. 9 Oakmont has the best won-loss mark by a nose at 12-3 and will host 10th ranked Lincoln (12-4) Tuesday in a showdown of FVL undefeated. The head-to-head matchups will be telling, but the tale of the tape in this league may a photo finish. Hold your tickets.
THE BEE’S TOP 20
1. Rocklin (13-1)
2. Sheldon (8-8)
3. Elk Grove (17-3)
4. Del Oro (13-2)
5. Roseville (11-4)
6. Vanden (11-0)
7. St. Francis (10-3)
8. Vista del Lago (9-2)
9. Oakmont (13-3)
10. Lincoln (13-4)
11. Folsom (6-5)
12. Pleasant Grove (7-9)
13. Ponderosa (9-4)
14. Sutter (10-0)
15. McClatchy (6-2)
16. Center (4-4)
17. East Nicolaus (6-1)
18. Marysville (8-2)
19. Granite Bay (9-7)
20. Cosumnes Oaks (7-5)
Bubble (alphabetical order): Cordova (8-2), Inderkum (10-4) Laguna Creek (5-6), Liberty Ranch (11-2), Pioneer (6-1), Rodriguez (8-3), Rosemont (14-3), Vacaville (6-7), Yuba City (7-5) - Pete Dufour
This story was originally published May 3, 2021 at 9:20 AM.