NEWMAN, Calif – Now the Orestimba High softball team can shift its focus to the postseason.
Orestimba wrapped up the regular and Trans-Valley League season last week with big wins over Atwater and Hilmar, respectively.
Next for Orestimba (7-3 in the TVL, 14-11 overall) is the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Softball Playoffs – Division V. The Warriors are the No 10 seed and will play at No. 7 Calaveras (11-4 in the Mother Lode League, 15-7-1) that took second place in league. The playoff game will be on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
The Orestimba-Calaveras winner will play No. 15 Lindhurst-No. 2 Linden winner on Friday. That playoff game would also be at 4 p.m.
Here is a look at the Warriors’ games last week.
Orestimba 14, Atwater 0
Playing on the Falcons on Thursday, the Warriors used 14 hits to post the win.
Orestimba only led 1-0 entering the top of the fourth inning. Then the Warriors scored seven times for an 8-0 lead and tacked on six more runs in the fifth.
Natalie Corella went 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Warriors. Kaitlin Barron, along with Orestimba teammates Belany Martens, Sophia Machado and Salece Machado, had two hits each. Salece Machado also had 4 RBIs.
Ellery Gustafson tossed four innings in the circle for Orestimba, giving up four hits, striking out one and walked one Falcon batter. Sam Mendoza threw the fifth inning, allowed two hits and struck out one.
Orestimba 18, Hilmar 7
In the league finale on the Warriors’ field on May 6, the game was tied at 3-3 entering the bottom of the second inning. Then Orestimba had an offensive explosion, erupting for eight runs for an 11-3 score.
The visiting Yellowjackets scored a run in the third and fourth innings, and two more in the fifth. But the Warriors continued their offensive showcase with four runs in the third and three in the fourth.
Orestimba had 20 hits in the game. Hilmar produced eight.
Sophia Machado, along with Gustafson, Salece Machado and Barron, had three hits each. Mariah Avila and Corella had two hits each. Rae Oliveros cranked out 3 RBIs.
Mike Bush is a multimedia journalist who was born and raised in the Stanislaus and Merced County areas. Follow him on X/Twitter @MikeBMultimedia and Instagram @mikebushphotography.