Modesto Sports

Baseball

High school fans and officials are mourning the death of longtime Modestan Clarke C.

Former Sac-Joaquin Section commissioner Clarke Coover, who ran the section out of his Modesto insurance office from 1968-1993, died on Saturday in Montana.

Mariposa iron man Jacob Johnson, knowing he's got all summer to rest his arm, spent Monday morning convincing coach Bruce Vegely to give him one more start. Johnson won the argument -- and Mariposa won its second Sac-Joaquin Section Division 6 title in three seasons.

It's the game Spencer Franceschetti has been waiting for since he took his first swing for Escalon High. "We knew it was going to be intense, but we're an emotional team so that's OK with us," the senior shortstop said. "It doesn't get bigger than this."

Preparation was as important as anything that took place on the field Monday, and it's the reason Oakdale High is celebrating a third Sac-Joaquin Section Division 4 championship title in four years.

Turlock High has a tall task tonight, needing to beat two-time defending Sac-Joaquin Section South Region winner St. Mary's twice to reach the best-of-three Division 1 final. St. Mary's beat Turlock 12-2 in the second round and the Rams are still unbeaten.

Today's Sports Menu

Nate Gregory's focus on the mental side of pitching has allowed Oakdale to produce a stream of college pitchers — eight have earned scholarships in his seven seasons — and made its program one of the best in the Sac-Joaquin Section. It goes for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 4 title today.

ESCALON -- A few weeks into the baseball season, Escalon High coach Greg Largent already knew how he wanted to spend his Memorial Day.

Oakdale has had a stream of college pitchers since Nate Gregory was named pitching coach seven years ago. Here is the list of the top pitchers he has coached at Oakdale, with Gregory's commentary:

The magic had to run out eventually, but not before Johansen High provided a last thrill. Missy Sandoval's ninth-inning homer lifted the Vikings in Game 2, but the team fell short of the Division I title against Elk Grove when it lost the third and final game.

The boys 800 meters played out like a destruction derby at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Track and Field Championships Friday night. If they were stock cars, they would have been swapping paint.