LIVERMORE, CA – The semifinalists of the 23rd Annual Livermore Stampede are set as Pool Play concluded with Freedom-Oakley winning Pool A, Foothill-Pleasanton as the Pool B winner, Sheldon-Sacramento took care of Pool C, and St. Mary’s-Stockton ended a long Friday by winning the Pool C affair in a game that didn’t end until after 11 pm.
Unfortunately however, the Rams will not play in the semifinals after opting to forfeit due to fatigue.
Pitching is the name of the game and in each of the three games covered in the deciding game for Pool play winners, the difference was the girl in the circle for the winning team was the better pitcher.
Since a rough start in Arizona at the TOC in Bullhead (AZ) Prep2Prep CIF North Coast Section No. 5 ranked Freedom (5-4) has now won four straight games including three impressive victories at the Livermore Stampede that has propelled Coach Brook Russo and his girls into the semifinals of the Championship Flight.
Junior Vanessa Strong, who was highly honored as a sophomore by Prep2Prep and several other media outlets, and although uncommitted, is on the radar screen of some top-notch D1 programs, has been all knuckles in this year’s Stampede.
In the three games of Pool A play she gave up a run to Livermore, then shut out Arroyo-San Lorenzo on a one-hitter, and then on Friday evening in the final game of Pool play, Strong pitched a no-hitter in a 5-0 victory over Whitney-Rocklin. She struck out 11 and came a base on balls away from a perfect game in a 72-pitch performance in a 5-inning timed out affair.
“It’s all about the team, and I’d say we’re definitely climbing the ladder and getting better each game,” Strong said. “We’re rebuilding after that tough start in Arizona and right now we’re ready to play.”
Junior third-baseman and cleanup hitter Kalissa Heihn had three hits, drove in two and scored three times, senior catcher Faith Derby had three hits and two RBIs, junior leadoff hitter and second-sacker Allyson Ferreira had two hits including a triple, scored twice and drove in one, Strong had two RBIs, junior first baseman Allyson McBroom had two hits an RBI and run scored, and senior shortstop Bri Ibarra stole two bases and scored each time. All in all the Falcons rapped out 15 hits.
With the victory it’s now an all NCS and East Bay Athletic League versus Bay Valley Athletic League affair scheduled for Saturday at noon but that could change due to rain. It will be a match-up of two of the East Bay’s top pitchers with Strong facing off against Freedom budding freshman star Nicole May.
“We scrimmaged Foothill so we know what their pitcher has,” Russo told the girls after the game. “We need to come out and attack her. We’re a powerhouse team so we need to come out and do what we do.”
Foothill (10-1) punched its ticket behind another strong performance from freshman sensation Nicole May. The Oklahoma-bound pitcher dominated in the circle once again after tossing a two-hitter with nine strikeouts in a 5-0 Falcons victory.
Both hits came in the third inning, and when the second hit went through the legs of the left-fielder there were runners on second and third with one out and Foothill holding a 3-0 lead. May proceeded to strike out the next two batters and then retired the next 12 batters to close out the game.
The young Falcons freshman second-sacker Hailey Hayes was 2-for-2 with a double, walk, stolen base, an RBI and three runs scored. May was 2-for-2 with a double, walk and two RBIs. Sophomore shortstop Alley Hope had a hit and scored a run.
Marbles for Sheldon but not all of them quite yet
As is her custom after a Sheldon win Coach Mary Jo Trousdale was busy passing out marbles to the girls after the Huskies 7-1 victory over a very frustrated group of Heritage Patriots.
The story of this game was Sheldon pitcher Taliyah Miles. She was able to pitch out of four straight bases loaded situation and only gave up one run, plus she hit a monster home run that was estimated at well over 250 feet.
Defending CIF Sac Joaquin Section Division I champion Sheldon (14-1), the Cal-Hi Sports top-ranked team in Northern California and No. 9 in the state, struck in the top of the first on back-to-back doubles by UC Santa Barbara-committed senior shortstop Maci Fines who was driven in by sophomore right-fielder Vianna Barron to take a 1-0 lead. They added three more runs in the second inning with Barron getting a second RBI and junior catcher Shea Moreno plating two with a double.
From there is where the heroics of Miles started. Trailing 4-0 Heritage loaded the bases but Miles struck out the next three batters. Then, with two out in the top of the thirds she hit the long tater that gave Sheldon a 5-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third Miles faced another bases loaded situation but struck out the final batter to end that threat.
Sheldon scored its final two runs in the top of the fourth when Barron walked and scored on a double by Moreno who later scored on an error. Once again Heritage loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth but Miles struck out the last batter to end that inning.
In the bottom of the fifth Heritage (7-3) senior catcher Alyssa Kirk got an RBI single that drove in senior centerfielder Anyssia Ramirez for the Patriots lone run.
After an error loaded the bases again, Miles struck out the final two batters. Because of all the base-runners, at that point the game had exceeded the 90-minute time limit and the umpires ruled the contest time out.
“Honestly, I was thinking I’ve been in these situations before and I can get out of it if I throw the right stuff,” was Miles’ response to the bases-jammed circumstances. “Then, once we had the seven-run lead I knew they were more nervous than I was.”
The Delaware State-bound Miles did give up eight hits and walked three, but she had nine strikeouts in the five innings against a Heritage team that had scored 22 runs with eight home runs in a win over Monte Vista-Danville to start Pool C play.
“She really did have a lot of grit tonight. She can do it,” said Truesdale about Miles. “She’s a tough-tough player and has a lot of inner strength to get out of those situations.”
Plus, the left-handed pitcher and hitter can yank one at the plate.
“I knew she would come with a fat one and I was sitting on it,” was the response of Miles in typical softball/baseball language.
St. Mary’s (15-1) was a 3-1 winner over a no-quit Castro Valley (8-4) team that had 8-0 and 9-0 wins over Archbishop Mitty-san Jose and California-San Ramon, respectively.
St. Mary’s was supposed to play Sheldon in what would have been an all CIFSJS semifinal but according Stampede Tournament Director Michelle Bennett the girls were just too tired after a long day and then not getting home till well after midnight.
Sheldon will now advance directly to the Stampede championship game and will wait to see who they face after Foothill and Freedom go at it in the one semifinal.
Because of weather the semi and title games have been moved to Del Valle High located at 6th and I Streets in Livermore.
Of note is Archbishop Mitty (13-5), who lost its first two games at the Stampede for the first time anyone can remember, finally won a game after a 12-0 shellacking of California.
Host Livermore (8-3), the P2P CIFNCS top-ranked team and Cal-Hi Sports No. 14 before starting pitcher Melanie Laronde went down with a stress fracture, finally got its first win of the Stampede after a 9-2 win over Arroyo-San Lorenzo. New No. 1 pitcher sophomore Brianna Wheelock scattered seven hits and only gave up one earned run in the victory.
Also of note and according to Bennett, all other flight games other than the semifinal and championship contests have been cancelled due to Robertson Park being unplayable.
