Sutter Softball is Perfect
Jun 05, 2024 11:59AM ● By Steven Bryla
DIXON, CA (MPG) - The Sutter Union Huskies softball team finished the 2024 softball season the same way it started in March, perfect.
Sutter swept through their three CIF Division III NorCal playoff games last week with victories over University Prep (Redding), College Park (Pleasant Hill) and Dixon from Tuesday, May 28, through Saturday, June 1.
Sutter senior infielder Alexa Carino (8) hits her final high school home run (23) in the sixth inning of the Huskies’ 13-1 victory over Dixon on Saturday, June 1. Photo by Steven Bryla
This was the Huskies’ second perfect season in the last four for Sutter head coach Stefanie Danna and her staff along with senior pitcher/Boise State signee Olivia Bauer, senior catcher/ Dominican signee Morgan Heggstrom and senior first baseman/University of Mary signee Madison Schamanski.
There were so many different last components going into the game against Dixon on June 1 as the Huskies’ 2024 class ended their era of sharing the playing field with one another as many of the seniors have played softball for countless years as teammates prior to high school.
Sutter senior second baseman Nai Garcia (7) fields a ground ball in the Huskies’ 13-1 victory against Dixon on Saturday, June 1. Photo by Steven Bryla
“Our bond is like no other,” Bauer said. She added that she felt it has been an advantage over all of their opponents this season.
Schamanski opened up the second inning with an opposite field home run that put Sutter up 1-0, and after that the Huskies rolled in the championship game as they pounded 17 hits, including six players with multi-hit games, and four players had three hits each.
Sutter seniors Olivia Bauer (5) and Morgan Heggstrom (2) hug after getting the final out of the CIF NorCal Division III Championship in the Huskies’ 13-1 victory over Dixon on Saturday, June 1. Photo by Steven Bryla
Schamanski had four runs-batted-in (RBI’s), three hits and made a heads up play in the bottom of the fourth as she caught a scorching line drive down the first base line.
Sutter had a 9-0 lead after four complete and Bauer dealt a game from the circle to get her 25th win of the season. She tossed a complete game where she gave up one run, four hits and struck out eight on 81 pitches. Bauer also had an RBI double in the second to extend the lead 3-0.
The Sutter Union Huskies softball team beat Dixon 13-1 on Saturday, June 1, in the CIF NorCal Division III Championship. Photo by Steven Bryla
The culture of the Huskies’ softball team is a family atmosphere like no other. Senior infielder/Sacramento State signee Alexa Carino told the Dispatch their goal at the beginning of the season was to get farther than last year as they were knocked out in the semifinals of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division V by eventual champion Orestimba.
The Sutter Union Huskies softball teams hoists the CIF NorCal Division III Champions plaque after they beat Dixon 13-1 on Saturday, June 1. Photo by Steven Bryla
Carino hit a moon shot into left-center field in the sixth that still hasn’t landed and gave Sutter a 10-0 lead.
Dixon was able to score a run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly to extend the game to the seventh inning.
Sutter senior outfielder Rylee Gillespie (3) throws a runner out at first base for the first out of the seventh inning in the Huskies’ 13-1 win against Dixon on Saturday, June 1. Photo by Steven Bryla
The powerful hitting lineup of Sutter gets plenty of recognition, but let’s not forget the old saying of “defense wins championships.”
All of the Huskies’ defenders on the field made significant key plays throughout the week, whether it was making a long run and dive for a catch or stopping a hard hit ground ball and picking it up quickly to get the out at first.
Sutter senior shortstop Grace Diaz (9) throws a runner out during the Huskies’ 13-1 win on Saturday, June 1, against Dixon. Photo by Steven Bryla
The Huskies added three more in the seventh thanks to hard-hit balls for a 13-1 advantage. Bauer shut down Dixon one-two-three with two strikeouts including the final out.
Bauer jumped into Heggstrom’s arms as the entire remainder of the Sutter girls came rushing towards them and dogpiled near home plate.
Heggstrom expressed to the Dispatch that the senior class’s legacy they are leaving on the softball program is the family and friendship culture they have endured throughout their time in the Huskies’ program.
Although many programs claim to be close and a family, the Sutter softball program is the definition of a sports family and it is a standard that Danna and her staff have set in stone for years.
Danna coached her final game as head coach of the program in the victory over Dixon as she is taking an administration position in the upcoming school year.
Sutter senior first baseman Madison Schamanski (22) gives the Huskies a 1-0 lead in the second inning with a solo home run in the Sutter 13-1 victory against Dixon on Saturday, June 1. Photo by Chris Pedigo
Danna was the Sutter head coach for nine seasons, where she won a minimum of 23 games per year, except the shortened 2020 season due to COVID-19. After the win against Dixon, she ended with 218 wins.
Danna expressed to the Dispatch that knowing she was going to be coaching her final game, her goal was to enjoy every single moment throughout the day and take it all in.
Danna said the senior class set the standard for competing and establishing a winning culture. The Huskies’ record for the past four seasons was 111-3, and it was the only team in the SJS with an undefeated record in 2024, which included three consecutive Section Championships (‘22 in Northern Section, ‘23 and ‘24 in SJS) and two NorCal Division III titles (‘22, ‘24).
“I’m so proud of them; not many can say they accomplished what this group has done in their high school career,” Danna said.
The Sutter seniors told the Dispatch that the coaching staff was special to them all as another set of parents and it meant a lot to do the ride with them.
As the girls enjoyed their final week of high school this week before graduation, the memories of the 2024 season will always be there.
Although the Dispatch does not have an award for a team of the year, the Huskies softball team would be the choice as they were the most dominant sports program in the area.
