STOCKTON — It’s been 363 days since East Union High’s softball team watched in horror as Bear River celebrated a 1-0 victory in the championship game of the 2007 Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV playoffs.

            But, that is not long enough to remove that bitter taste from the mouths of every returning Lancer, and their head coach Brian Goulart.

Today, May 16. Goulart and the Lancers will have their first chance at vengeance, in a 5 p.m. showdown against the same Pioneer Valley League champions for guaranteed advancement into the Division IV finale at Arnaiz Stadium in Stockton.

            “I already know (Bear River) is going to be there,” Goulart said prior to Bear River’s quarterfinal bout with Capital Valley Conference champs, Rio Linda. “That’s how good they are. If we beat everybody else, we get to play them, because they are good and they are the defending champs.”

            Bear River did make the semifinals, by topping Rio Linda 1-0 and bringing an end to the Knights (26-2) 18-game winning streak.

East Union managed their own semifinal trip with a 4-0 victory over Foothill in the opening round and 2-0 win against Whitney in round two.

            East Union ace Erin Arevalo tossed 34 strikeouts in the two games, with six hits and one walk allowed across the 14 innings of work.

She also hit 4-for-7 on the day, while teammate Alicia Cook managed a 3-for-4, two-run performance. Cassy Waggy was 4-for-7 while Nycole Teeple batted 3-for-4 and Jillian Goulart 2-for-5 with a stolen base.

            Foothill and Whitney put runners on base and tested Arevalo early, but California’s all-time strikeout leader and the rest of the Lancer defense did not allow a runner to cross the plate.

            “You just can’t overlook anybody,” Goulart said. “Coming up here is the eight best (division IV) teams in the section, and you know they are all good.”

            The winner of today’s contest will move on to the finals, and await the consolation bracket champion for a Saturday, May 17 finisher at noon. If the semifinal winner takes Saturday’s opener, the playoffs are over.

            If the consolation team wins, the two-teams will meet in a one-game finale at 2 p.m. Last year, East Union took the semifinal bout, but lost two straight in the finals to surrender the title.

            East Union last won a section title in 2003.