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Sacramento Oracle

River City softball season ends in first round of playoffs

May 20, 2022 12:00AM ● By By Shaun Holkko, sports editor

TRACY, CA (MPG) – The 2022 River City High School varsity softball team’s season came to an end on May 17 with a 6-0 shutout loss at Tracy in the first round of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I Softball Playoffs.

After winning the Metropolitan Conference Championship, the Raiders (15-9-1, 10-2 Metro) were given the No. 12 seed in the postseason and were matched up against the No. 5 seeded Bulldogs (19-8, 9-6 Tri-City Athletic League).

River City was nearly no-hit by Tracy senior pitcher Hannah Schaller in the 6-0 loss. The Raiders’ only hit came from sophomore Maddie Godina. Juniors Veronica Huizar and Jazmin Ochoa recorded the only other offensive statistics for River City, drawing a walk and hit by pitch, respectively.

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Schaller earned the win by tossing a complete game, pitching seven shutout innings and allowing only one hit, one walk and one HBP while striking out 13 Raiders on 102 pitches. Junior pitcher Rosaria Gutierrez took the loss on the mound for River City. Gutierrez pitched five innings and allowed 10 hits, six runs (five earned) and two walks with three strikeouts on 79 pitches.

Tracy tallied 11 total hits as four players each had multiple hits: Senior center fielder Kesaia Faasisila, junior third baseman Ava Mendoza, senior second baseman Katelyn Bridgeman and junior shortstop Malissa George. Mendoza and Bridgeman each had two RBI and George added one in her own right.

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The Bulldogs scored their six runs across three innings with two in the first, one in the third and three in the fifth. Tracy lost two days later in the next round of the postseason to No. 4 seed Rocklin (18-12, 8-7 Sierra Foothill League) by a score of 3-1.

Nearly the entire River City team will be returning next season, as only one senior, Delayna Garcia, will be graduating in the Class of 2022. Therefore, the Raiders will have a great shot at repeating as Metro Champions.

Despite this season ending in a first round playoffs exit, River City has a lot to be proud of. Some highlights from this season included a league title and a 10-game winning streak from April 5 to May 10. Kudos to coach Mieko Mendenhall and her entire team on an impressive season.