Experience propels Oakdale softball team to fast start

With seven seniors on his roster, including four in their fourth year at the varsity level, Oakdale softball coach Larry Loger is enjoying the perks of all that experience.

For starters, he’s talking less in practices and games.

The Mustangs possess as much talent, pitching depth and potential as any team Loger has coached in the last 16 years, and it begins with his mainstays … his mouthpieces: four-year standouts Kindra and Maddi Hackbarth, Emily Greenwood and Cierra Duke.

“We can now work on the finer points of the game. We don’t stress ‘This is how you do things’ so much, because they already understand how we do things,” Loger said following Thursday’s 11-0 victory at Ceres. “When I’m saying something, they can finish my sentences for me.”

Why stop with words?

Oakdale is finishing off its opponents, too.

The Mustangs have built an impressive resume, challenging themselves with a bevy of large-school opponents. Oakdale has beaten Gregori, Merced and Ceres twice en route to a 4-0 start. There are also scrimmage victories over St. Mary’s and Enochs by a combined score of 26-8.

The offensive tear continued on Thursday afternoon at Ceres, where the Mustangs punished the short-handed Bulldogs.

Oakdale plated sevens runs on eight hits in the first inning, turning this showdown of potential league champions into a five-inning mercy rule contest.

Duke drove a pitch into right field to make it 4-0, and then scored on a throwing error by Ceres catcher Adryana Knights, who tried to turn a double play at first base. Her throw sailed into right field, allowing Duke and Brittany Bye to scoot around the bases.

Kindra Hackbarth rounded out the first-inning scoring with a flare single to left field. She sliced three pitches foul down the left-field line before dropping her RBI single in front of the outfielder.

In all, the free-swinging Mustangs collected 15 hits against three pitchers.

Duke finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs. Leadoff hitter Kindra Hackbarth was 3-for-4, while twin sister Maddi Hackbarth was 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Scarlett Brock, Lexi Webb, Bye and Greenwood also drove in runs for Oakdale, which begins Valley Oak League play at home against Kimball on March 17.

Grace Green and Brock combined on the win. Green gave up two hits in three innings before turning the ball over to Brock, who fanned four over the final two frames.

Washington-bound shortstop Nicole Bates and Rayhona Sagapalu collected the Bulldogs’ only hits.

Loger is encouraged by the early results, but believes Oakdale – a five-time Sac-Joaquin Section champion and a neck-and-neck favorite with East Union in the VOL – can do more with its talent and depth.

“We’re underachieving so far. Our record says we’re good, but I don’t think we’ve played a perfect game yet,” Loger said. “We’ve played a couple of games without errors, but I think the potential of this team is a lot better than what we’re playing right now.

“That’s why we’re playing all Division I schools in the preseason and going to these big preseason tournaments. We’re trying to get under pressure so when we make it to playoffs at end of the year, we’ll be ready.”

This story was originally published March 10, 2016 at 8:10 PM with the headline "Experience propels Oakdale softball team to fast start."