Posted: Apr 01, 2022
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Taylor Trafican and Rylee Coauette combined for a two-hit shutout, while Coauette, Maggie Leonard anbd Taylor Lewis each earned a pair of hits as St. Francis junior varsity claimed a 15-0 win over Laguna Creek in the JV half of a non-league softball doubleheader Friday afternoon.
Meanwhile on the varsity's Schuster Field, designated player Hope Jenkins delivered two home runs for a total of four runs batted in while senior pitcher Amy Abueg fired a two-hit shutout, leading St. Francis to a five-inning, 10-0 win over the Cardinals.
St. Francis varsity improves to 9-1 for the year while the JV squad moves to 8-1.
The Troubies JV pushed across five runs in the first, highlighted by Sydney Hucik's two-run single from the cleanup spot. Four more runs came through in the third, with three more scoring in the third. In the circle, Trafican pitched the first inning, hitting a batter and allowing a single before escaping the jam with a strikeout and two harmless grounders to Lewis. Coauette took over in the second and closed out the game, allowing only one hit and two walks en route to the win.
Across the way at the varsity diamond, Jenkins finished 2-for-2 on the day. Her three-run blast to straightaway center put SFHS on the board for a 3-0 lead in the first inning, then her solo shot in the fifth ignited a four-run inning that invoked the 10-run rule. Shorstop Kylee Garrett finished 2-for-3 on the day, with her double to left representing the walk-off hit in the fifth.
In addition to her pitching work, Abueg also rapped out a double and a single with three stolen bases. First baseman Kayla Garber added two hits for the Troubies. Abueg largely forced LC into soft contact, striking out just one batter for the game but getting 12 of the remaining 14 outs in the infield. Second baseman Francesca Guerrera had one of the most spectacular of those outs, coming up with a diving snare of a line drive toward right center.
Oddly, two of the hardest-hit balls for the St. Francis bats belonged to right fielder Grace Jenkins, who hammered barrels to the outfield for lineouts in the first and third innings.
St. Francis returns to Delta League action on Tuesday for a home doubleheader against Cosumnes Oaks. First pitch is 4 p.m. on each field.
