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Warriors roll past Reds in rivalry softball opener
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Gustine’s Malia Huhane reaches base in the bottom of the second inning, sparking the Reds’ lone run in their home opener against Orestimba. - photo by La_lumiere_art_and_photography

GUSTINE — Orestimba opened its season with a surge of early offense Thursday, overwhelming Gustine in a rivalry matchup that set the tone from the first inning and carried through a dominant 13–1 victory in non‑league play.

The Warriors struck quickly in the top of the first, beginning with a triple from Karina Gonzalez that sparked a four‑run inning. Rae Oliveros drove in the first run, and Hailey Starr followed with a deep fly ball to bring in another. Genevieve Armenta capped the frame with a two‑RBI single. Gustine catcher Jacqueline Chavez cut down a runner at second, but Orestimba’s bats kept the pressure on.

The second inning widened the gap as the Warriors erupted for nine more runs, fueled by extra‑base hits from Starr, Ellery Gustafuson and Oliveros. By the end of the inning, Orestimba held a commanding 13‑0 lead.

Gustine found a spark in the bottom of the second when pitcher Malia Huhane delivered the Reds’ first hit of the season. Moments later, Juliana Martinez ripped a shot down the left‑field line to drive in Gustine’s lone run, drawing cheers from the home crowd.

Starr, who also handled pitching duties for Orestimba, settled in after the second and retired the Reds in order in the third, fourth and fifth innings. The Warriors added insurance runs in the third and fifth, capitalizing on walks and timely hitting. Despite the lopsided score, Gustine’s defense held Orestimba scoreless in the fourth.

Orestimba head coach Joaquin Marroquin said he was pleased with the team’s strong start. “I think they played very well today; this is our very first game,” he said. “I wanted to make sure everyone got in and see how our hitting would be, because we wanted to improve on that from last year. Overall, I feel they played very well.”

Gustine (0–1) now heads into a four‑game road stretch as it looks to regroup before league play begins. The Reds will travel to Modesto Christian on March 18, Waterford on March 20, Denair on March 23 and Mariposa on March 25.

Orestimba returns home Tuesday, March 3, to host Big Valley Christian in its home opener.