The Bee’s Top 20 softball teams: Sacramento stat marvels include aces and sluggers
Statistically speaking, it’s been quite a high school softball season in the Sacramento region, and the best is yet to come.
Stats will carry more weight in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs that start May 11, none more meaningful than those that lead to victories.
One might think that the area’s top player and No. 1 recruit is a sure thing to lead her team in batting, but it is Ayla Tuua’s teammate who has that distinction. Destiny Christian Academy Lions sophomore outfielder and catcher Ella Dossey has proven to be a difficult out. She has a section-leading .771 average with 10 extra-base hits for The Sacramento Bee’s No. 1-ranked team that is cruising along, at 20-0 entering Wednesday.
Tuua is hardly an easy out as the LSU-bound and three-time Bee Player of the Year senior is batting .673 with a section-leading 53 RBIs. If that wasn’t enough, she also leads the section with an 0.17 ERA to go with 81 strikeouts in 41 innings.
Tuua has another slugger of a teammate in Roxanne Sardo, a pitcher/utility player who has seven homers while also tossing three no-hitters to match Tuua.
More prolific hitters in the region
Valley Vikings senior utility Nathalia Gentil is batting .757 in 14 games with 14 RBIs and 22 runs scored, and she has stolen 23 bases in 24 tries.
Sophomore catcher/third baseman Irene Aceves of small-school Leroy Greene Academy in Sacramento is batting .733 with seven home runs, 33 hits, 36 RBIs and 45 runs scored. She also has 10 triples, eight doubles and a section-leading 49 stolen bases for the 11-3-3 Lions.
Also for Leroy Greene Academy: junior third baseman Haley Washington is batting .703, sophomore shortstop Marley Nava has 38 stolen bases and junior utility Scout Samuelson has 32 steals.
Junior catcher/utility Gisele Thao of the Lindhurst Blazers of Olivehurst has a .720 batting average, 36 hits, 32 RBIs, 30 runs, 10 doubles and three triples. And she has a .990 fielding percentage from behind the plate for the 12-4 Blazers, who are 9-1 in the Division IV-level Sierra Delta League.
Swinging for the fences
Kate McCartney is a sophomore for the unbeaten Ponderosa Bruins of Shingle Springs who wields a heavy bat. She has clubbed a section-best 15 home runs to go with nine doubles, four triples, 38 RBIs, 41 runs and a nifty .614 batting average. She belted nine home runs on varsity as a freshman with 36 RBIs.
Gridley of Butte County shortstop Delanie Cloud has 11 home runs for the 13-5 Bulldogs of the Northern Section.
Del Oro sophomore catcher Emma Johnson has eight home runs, a .419 batting average and 23 RBIs for the storied Golden Eagles, who capped last season with a CIF Northern California Regional championship. Del Oro is currently ranked No. 4 by The Bee.
Dixon Rams sophomore utility Dakota Gaball has swatted eight home runs for the small-school powerhouse, and she is batting .473 with 28 RBIs.
Inderkum Tigers sophomore outfielder Brielle Collins has seven homers, 11 doubles, a .500 batting average and 29 RBIs for a team that is 20-5 and is in second place behind Ponderosa in the Capital Valley Conference.
Bradshaw Christian Pride freshman Harlow Ahlstrom has seven dingers to go with six doubles, 32 hits, 30 RBIs, 24 runs and a .485 batting average. BC is 13-7 overall and 5-4 in the Sierra Valley Conference.
Oak Ridge Trojans senior catcher/infielder Brooklyn Paratore has swatted seven of her 10 career varsity homers this season for the storied Division I powerhouse. She batted .515 as a freshman, .390 as a sophomore, .527 as a junior and is at a .520 clip now. She has 141 career hits and 85 career RBI.
West Park Panthers senior Isabella Huston has seven home runs after producing three in each of her previous two varsity seasons, and she has a .458 batting average and 27 RBIs for a team that’s competing for the Metro League championship.
Yuba City Honkers senior infielder Naiema Cawthon is closing in 100 career RBIs, including 39 this season on the strength of four homers, seven doubles, three triples and 37 total hits. The Honkers are 12-12.
Youth is served
Ranked third by The Bee, the Elk Grove Thundering Herd represent proof that underclassmen can lead the charge.
Freshman catcher Kadence Pettis is batting .455, followed by freshman infielder Tamiyah Ward and sophomore outfielder Lauren Anderson. Freshman utility Madelyn Benzler has five home runs and a team-high 27 RBIs, freshman infielder Kinslee Buck has three and sophomore infielder Izinah Castillo has two.
Sophomore infielder Brooklyn Landrum has 21 RBI. Benzler has an 0.96 ERA to go with nine victories and 102 strikeouts for the Delta League-leading Herd.
Aces in the circle
Rocklin Thunder junior ace Payton Prior is 15-2 with a 1.12 ERA for the Placer County program, with 171 strikeouts over 119 innings. This is old hat for her. She went 20-3 as a junior with a 1.63 ERA and 217 strikeouts, and she was 12-2 as a freshman on varsity with 176 strikeouts.
Ponderosa freshman Lauren Klomp has pitched like a senior and is 14-0 with an 0.75 ERA and 182 strikeouts in 102 innings for a 22-0 team ranked second by The Bee. Senior teammate Haley Warney is 8-0 with a 1.75 ERA.
Whitney Wildcats sophomore Taylor Cordell is 13-3 with a 1.35 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 82.2 innings for a team ranked fifth by The Bee.
Inderkum sophomore Natalie Aboosh is 10-2 with a 1.41 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 94 innings after she went 5-0 as a freshman on varsity.
Johnson Warriors senior Angelene Gonzales has nine victories and 154 strikeouts in 87.1 innings. She also has 39 stolen bases.
The Bee’s Top 20
(Records entering Wednesday)
1. Destiny Christian (20-0)
2. Ponderosa (22-0)
3. Elk Grove (21-4)
4. Del Oro (14-7)
5. Whitney (17-8)
6. Rocklin (17-4)
7. Vanden (12-4)
8. Davis (13-9)
9. Sheldon 14-7
10. Oak Ridge (9-10)
11. Vacaville (13-11)
12. Inderkum (20-5)
13. St. Francis (11-12)
14. Franklin (13-9)
15. Pioneer (14-6)
16. Wood (13-7)
17. Del Campo (18-5)
18. Antelope (12-4)
19. West Park (12-4)
20. Woodcreek (15-10)