ELK GROVE, Calif. – Four St. Francis batters had one hit each as the Troubadours fell by an 8-0 final in a rain-shortened Delta League varsity softball game at Elk Grove Friday afternoon.
The Troubies suffer their first shutout loss of the year to move to 13-6 overall and 5-3 in league play. The contest also moves the Thundering Herd to the top of the Delta League standings at 7-2, a half game up on Pleasant Grove (6-2), which faced Del Oro on Friday. St. Francis slips into a tie for third with Sheldon, which picked up a 10-0 road win at Cosumnes Oaks.
Junior right fielder Claire Krotine, senior shortstop Francesca Guerrera, senior third baseman Alex Garcia and sophomore center fielder Alexis McFarland had the four safeties for the Troubies. Guerrera had her team's lone extra-base hit, thanks to a double to left in the top of the first inning. Kylee Garrett followed that hit with a walk, but both SF players were left stranded.
The Troubies' went down in order in the second, third and fifth, with their next scoring threat coming in the sixth. Krotine slashed a drive into center to lead off the frame. EG freshman left fielder Chloe Miller snared a sinking line drive off of Guerrera's bat, then freshman right fielder Ryann Wolfe ran down a Sorina Pometta fly ball to keep Krotine having to retreat to first. Garcia smacked a ball to left that moved Krotine up but Miller hauled in McFarland's drive to left to end the sixth.
With Elk Grove batting, what had begun as a very light sprinkle had turned into a heavier downpour. The coaches and umpires agreed to stop the contest with one out in the bottom of the sixth, putting the contest officially into the books.
Meanwhile, the Herd rapped out 13 hits, including a 3-for-3 day from senior center fielder Addison Buckley. They pushed across two runs in the first on a failed pickoff attempt at third. The errant throw sailed over Garcia's head, allowing two runners in. Then in the second, Elk Grove piled up seven hits – mostly hard grounders to every gap in the infield – with also taking advantage of another throwing error.
The Troubies got out of the second with an unusual 5-3-5 double play. With Katelyn ‑ on second and just one out, Garcia made a quick throw to first baseman Kinsley Imm for the second out, then Imm quickly fired back across the diamond to Garcia, who made the tag for the third.
St. Francis enjoyed some heady defense in the fifth, including another twin killing. Jadyn Magnuson led off the inning with a double but was retired on the basepaths when Herd freshman Kaylee Buck pounded a comebacker to Reese Lewis in the circle. Instead of going to first, Lewis caught Magnuson retreating back to second, with Guerrera making the tag. Two batters later, with Herd runners on first and second, Guerrera and Barge combined for a textbook 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Friday's visit to Elk Grove was a varsity-only date, with St. Francis junior varsity forced to forfeit due to a shortage of available players.
Both St. Francis teams return to action on Monday for a home doubleheader with Vista Del Lago at 4 p.m.
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