Top-ranked Woodcreek and No. 3 Del Oro played seven innings of softball today in Loomis.
But the much-anticipated match-up between the two Sierra Foothill League powers was pretty much decided in the first inning, thanks to the pitching and hitting of Del Oro's Jordan Courage.
The senior had a three-run, two-out double in the bottom of the first and tossed a two-hitter as the Golden Eagles won 3-0.
The win isn't considered an upset, even though Woodcreek is ranked No. 7 and Del Oro is unranked in the state top 20 by Cal-Hi Sports.
Del Oro (13-3-2, 8-1) has won the last three Sierra Foothill League titles and now leads second place Woodcreek (15-2, 6-2) by a game and one half in league.
The right-handed Courage, who has signed a letter of intent with Iona, allowed singles in the second and fourth innings, hit a batter in the first and walked another in the seventh. She struck out five.
But infielders Taylor Haynes, Whitney Smith and Courtney Smith made several strong defensive plays to keep Woodcreek from mounting any sort of comeback.
Courage's blast - the game's only extra base hit - went into the gap in left center. Her hit came after Hannah George and Whitney Smith singled and Courtney Smith walked, sandwiched between two strikeouts.
Whitney Smith was the game's only multi-hit player with two singles in three at-bats. That raised her average to .500 for the season.
Woodcreek's Amanda Horbasch allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out six, all within the first three innings.
The win hiked Courage's record to 11-2 with a 1.24 earned run average in 95 2/3 innings.
The teams are scheduled to meet two more times - April 27 and May 8 at Woodcreek's home field of Mahany Park.
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