#16 COS Shuts Down Fresno City
The College of the Sequoias Softball team kicked off April with an impressive display as they continue Central Valley Conference (CVC) play. Let's dive into the matchups:
April 4, 2024: COS 3 - Fresno City 1
In a showdown against CVC leader Fresno City, COS showcased their resilience, securing a hard-fought 3-1 victory. Bailee Bustos (Mission Oak HS) delivered a stellar performance on the mound, claiming her 14th win of the season with 6 strikeouts and allowing just one run. Islea Villarreal's (Dinuba HS) bases-loaded walk and Eliza Gamez's (Redwood HS) clutch RBI single were instrumental in clinching the win.
April 9, 2024 - Game 1: COS 0 - Reedley 1
Facing Reedley in a doubleheader, COS battled fiercely but fell short in a narrow 0-1 loss. Despite Emily Ibarra's (Redwood HS) 2-for-3 performance and Bailee Bustos' 9 strikeouts on the mound, Reedley managed to edge ahead with the lone run.
April 9, 2024 - Game 2: COS 4 - Reedley 0
Refusing to be deterred, COS bounced back in the second game of the doubleheader, securing a commanding 4-0 victory over Reedley. Grace Chojnacki's (Mission Oak HS) RBI single and Eliza Gamez's crucial 2-run single propelled the Giants to victory. They were backed by Chojnacki's stellar pitching performance as she allowed 4 hits, 0 runs, and also struck out 5 batters.
April 16, 2024 - Game 1: COS 8 - Taft 0 (5 innings)
In a fitting tribute to their sophomores, COS honored their sophomores before beating Taft 8-0. Standout performances from Islea Villarreal, Eliza Gamez, and Anela Hernandez (Waialua, HI) fueled the Giants' offense. Villarreal went 2-for-3 with 1 RBI, Gamez went 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs, and Hernandez went 1-for-2 with 2 RBIs. While Bailee Bustos once again showcased her pitching prowess with 9 strikeouts and just 2 hits allowed.
April 16, 2024 - Game 2: COS 14 - Taft 0 (5 innings)
The Giants continued to showcase their offense in the second game, overwhelming Taft with a 14-0 victory. The Giants started strong with RBIs in the first inning from Grace Chojnacki and Kristina Nunes (Riverdale HS) as they helped propel COS to another win. Emily Ibarra also added in her 2nd home run on the season. The hot bats continued in subsequent innings as Villarreal and Susie Ortega (Mission Oak HS) had 3 RBIs and 2 RBIs, respectively. In the circle, the win went to starter Grace Chojnacki. She allowed 2 hits, 0 runs, and had 6 strikeouts. This lowered her ERA to 1.43, which is top 15 in the state.
State Rankings & Upcoming Games
Following their impressive performances, COS climbed to 16th in the state and 7th in the North region in the latest 3CFCA Coaches Poll. With just three games left in the regular season, including matchups against Coalinga College today and Porterville College next week, the Giants are poised to finish strong and make their mark in the postseason.
