Manley and McPartland pitch combined shutout as Wolverines split doubleheader against Beavers

Despite struggling early and losing their first game of the doubleheader 10-0, the Sierra College softball team answered back with solid pitching and timely hitting to come away with a 4-0 win in game two on Saturday against ARC.

"This team has been full of resilience and I'm super proud of them," first-year Wolverines coach Taylor Martinez said. "We got together as a group and were able to turn the page. We talked about needing to throw strikes and spin the ball and do a better job at situational hitting and we came out and did exactly that. We got the result that we wanted and needed."

Sophomore Kendal Manley started in the circle in game two and pitched four innings while allowing only three hits and striking out four. Jessica McPartland battled back from a rough game one earlier in the day to close out the second game with three innings and five strikeouts. The Beavers started the sixth inning with three consecutive hits, but McPartland stayed composed and forced two pop outs and a strikeout to end the inning.

"My screwball was working for me," McPartland said. "I'm really good at flushing things out and moving onto the next game and the next pitch and me focusing pitch by pitch helps that. When we have runs on the board and she (Kendal) set the tone like she did, it gives everyone confidence to play the game and have fun."

"Jess and Kendal have done an amazing job, they've taken on a big brunt of our innings this season," Martinez said. "They supply such a different look as far as pitches and spins on the ball. Kendal has been fighting through some injuries, but was able to come back today and throw really well. Jessica was able to come back and finish it for us. She has been a workhorse and you can see her mental toughness to come out and dominate that second game."

Manley also had a solid game at the plate going two for three with an RBI while Mya Quick also had an RBI single. Manley will be continuing her collegiate softball career at Santa Clara University. Kayleigh Lugowski hit a double in the contest while freshman Whitney Montoya went two for two as the designated player.

"Whitney did a great job executing, getting the ball down and she put together really competitive and great at-bats," Martinez said. 

In the first game, the Wolverines stumbled at the plate and didn't get a base runner until the fourth when Quick and Riley Ernst both singled. American River was led by Kaylah Adams who hit two two-run homers while Elizabeth Poppick had a three-RBI triple. 

The split puts Sierra at 16-21 on the season and 12-11 in Big 8 action, tied in fourth place with the Beavers. The Wolverines will play their final regular season game at Sacramento City on Tuesday at 3 p.m. Regional playoffs will begin on May 3.

"When we play Sac City, it's always competitive," Martinez said. "We both have great pitching and we both play really good defense, so I think it's going to be a dogfight. I'm very excited for it and I think it's a great game to take us into the postseason."

Prior to Saturday's doubleheader, Sierra honored its seven sophomores including Manley, Lugowski, Quick, Ernst, Sophie Mendoza, Maddy Redinger and Makenzie Prest.