Sierra's Monica Morado tosses an out to first.

Ike Dodson/Sun Post 

            Between East Union High’s title chase and Manteca’s undefeated start to the Valley Oak league season, there wasn’t too much noise coming from the Timberwolves softball team at the start of league play.

            But you can’t ignore them now.

            Sierra blasted past both Manteca and East Union in the final three games of VOL play, locking-up an advancement into the Division IV Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.

            “This was a really good year for a lot of the teams in the VOL, and I am really proud of what my girls have been able to do,” Sierra coach Nick Olmo said. “With this team I get a general sense of when they are ready to play, and I don’t want to push my agenda on them.”

            The Timberwolves were ready for a 3-2 win over East Union on May 1, and popped Manteca for a 12-2 route on Tuesday, May 6 at home. The win over the Buffaloes guar over the Buffaloes guaranteed one of three seeds from the VOL into the SJS postseason.

            Unless East Union or Ceres falter in their final VOL contest of the year, Sierra will head into the playoffs as the No. 3 seed, and face 2007 section champs, Bear River, in the opening round at Arnaiz Stadium in Stockton on Wednesday, May 14.

            “I don’t know much about (Bear River), I just know their reputation,” Olmo said. “We are going to come into that game the same way we would if we were facing Manteca, East Union or Ceres.

            “I think the team was still in shock after we (beat Manteca) that we are in the playoffs, but at (Wednesday’s) practice, it really hit them,” Olmo said. “I think they are pumped about it and I know they are ready for it.”

            Sierra scored seven fourth-inning runs to push past Manteca, three on a home run well beyond the centerfield fence by Heather Scharmann. Dawn Kilpatrick added an RBI double in the inning as well. Sierra finished the game with four scores in the bottom of the sixth inning, and held Manteca to one.

            Sierra managed 14 hits as a team, and saw a base hit or run from every position of the lineup. Scharmann ended 2-for-3 with two runs and four RBIs while Marisa Olmo finished 2-for-4 with two runs and a double. Kilpatrick was 2-for-4 with two RBIs while Karissa Valdez hit 3-for-4 in the nine spot on Sierra’s lineup. Monica Morado was 1-for-1 with three runs and three walks in the win as well.

            Breann McGraw recorded the win in five innings of work, and struck out three with six hits and one run allowed. Talented sophomore, Gabby Hawkins finished Manteca with a one-run in the sixth, and struck out a lone Buffalo hitter.

            Trina Solario knocked in Chellsee Lee for Manteca’s first score and watched Amber Nunnally drive in Becky Moreno on a sixth-inning double off Hawkins.

            The Timberwolves were still soaring after Thursday’s victory over East Union, a win that came despite a 10-3 hit advantage for the Lancers. Valdez knocked in Scharmann on a double and helped the T’wolves stay ahead in the bottom of the 10th-inning frame.

            Scharmann scored a runner with her own base hit in the California tiebreaker format.

McGraw (car accident) was absent from the game, and Hawkins stepped in for a brilliant eight-strikeout performance with just one walk surrendered. She struck out eight and scattered East Union’s 10 knocks across the 10 innings to keep runs from scoring.