The Pioneer High School varsity softball team got one step closer to a second straight Golden Empire League championship with a victory in Orangevale to begin the week.
While it may have taken the Patriots’ (16-5, 9-1 GEL) bats a couple innings to wake up, once they got going, they could not be stopped.
“It was a close game at the beginning. We finally were more patient with the pitcher, made things happen with good bunts and we had some timely hits by Ashley and Sofia (Hernandez). Marisa walked and was being patient, which kept the batting order going,” said coach Linda Merrida. “Bri (Parker) had four at-bats and took them to a 3-2 count three times. That allows us to get our big hitters up, which is important.”
Pioneer beat Casa Roble (8-9, 4-5) by a final score of 13-1 in five frames on Monday afternoon at the Vernon A. Cable Field of Dreams.
“I think we started off a little slow but eventually we got our bats going and it was a great team win all together,” recalled sophomore shortstop Marisa Bryson. “We just had to fix our timing. We were really early and off-balance in the beginning so we had to stay more balanced and see better pitches.”
The Patriots have now won seven games in a row, including five in GEL action.
“We did pretty good. The first few innings, we were all a little nervous and I think we could’ve had some better pitch selection. Then we usually come back in the fifth inning, that’s what we did and we had good, collective, all-around hitting,” explained junior catcher Ashley Gruben. “We do that a little bit where we’re struggling in the first few innings, then something clicks and we all come together as a group hitting the ball.”
In the bottom of the first inning, the Rams tallied 1 run to take an early lead. Pioneer tied the game in the top of the third on an RBI double by Bryson. The Patriots added 3 runs in the fourth and 9 in the fifth to trigger the 10-run mercy rule after five frames.
“The mindset isn’t there at the very beginning. They’re not patient and sometimes it takes one of the coaches to gather the troops and refocus their plan of attack at the plate,” Merrida recalled. “Louie (Pires) does that really well.”
The final inning was punctuated with a 2-run blast to left center field by Gruben, who has now homered in two consecutive contests and has 3 total in 2024.
“I thought my hitting was pretty good today. My first at-bat had me a little scared because I struck out,” Gruben said with a laugh. “I came back and did well. My catching was good, as it always is. With Jia, we make a pretty good battery.”
Sofia Hernandez continued her hot streak Monday with a perfect performance at the plate. The junior third baseman went 3-for-3 with 2 doubles, 2 RBI, 3 runs, 1 stolen base and 1 walk.
Gruben joined the 3-hit club, going 3-for-4 with a game-high 3 RBI, 1 HR and 1 run. Bryson also racked up 3 RBI with a 1-for-2 day, adding 2 walks, 1 double and 1 run. Junior outfielder Abril Parker was 2-for-4 with 2 runs and 1 RBI.
“Marisa had that play at second where she dove (for the out). Sof had good hits. Abril laid down a good bunt,” Gruben recalled. “Jia’s pitching is always good.”
Junior right-hander Jia Beebe (14-4) picked up another win in the circle. She pitched all 5.0 frames, allowing only 2 hits and 1 run with 1 strikeout on 58 pitches.
“Jia had a good game on the mound. They shouldn’t have scored that run, it should’ve been zero,” Merrida said. “(Sophia Newcomb) hit a double down here and stole third. The ball was hit back to Jia, (Newcomb) was running down the line and Jia had time to take a peak and look over, then still had time to make a play, but she went straight to first. That’s the kind of play that we need to be more prepared and force the runner to either stand still or we get them out at home. It’s happened to us twice already.”
No. 18 Pioneer has two league home games remaining to clinch back-to-back GEL titles, Wednesday against Mira Loma (1-10, 1-8) and May 8 versus Mesa Verde (8-9, 1-8), both beginning at 4:30 p.m.
“It’s going to be difficult playing Mira Loma on Wednesday and then having to come back and play someone like Central Catholic,” Merrida foreshadowed. “Once we finish that game with Mira Loma, we need to turn it off and get ready for Central Catholic, because they could be in our section playoffs. You know that when you beat someone, they’re going to come back hard at you the next time! We’ve got to toughen up a little bit.”
The other two contests left in the regular season are against formidable competition, Friday versus Central Catholic (16-5) of Modesto and May 10 at No. 5 St. Francis (13-7) in Sacramento, each at 4 p.m.
“We’re excited to see some competition,” Bryson foretold. “If you play better teams, you’re going to be more prepared for playoffs and that’s really what we’re looking for.
