Yabumoto leading the way as Flames enter playoffs
Accomplishments: Allisa Yabumoto has enjoyed life on the diamond in various time zones.
Now the Lodi High softball player, a four-year starter at catcher and shortstop, is preparing for a new journey. But first, the senior and the Flames had to take care of business in the Tri-City Athletic League last week.
In the Flames’ TCAL finale against rival Tokay at the Arnaiz Softball Complex in Morada on May 2, Yabumoto went 3-for-4 with two RBIs to help Lodi post a 7-3 win over the Tigers. That win, along with Lincoln beating St. Mary’s, helped Lodi take second place in league at 10-5 and 15-11 overall.
“It feels awesome,” said Yabumoto in the Flames taking second place this year. “It’s really an awesome feeling.”
Before playing Tokay a third time, Lodi had outscored the Tigers 29-5; the Flames burned the Tigers 15-4 at the Lodi Softball Complex toward the end of last month and 14-1 at the Arnaiz complex on March 28. Yabumoto admitted that Lodi might have looked past the Tigers in their final meeting on May 2.
“I think we didn’t expect it, and I think that’s why it happened,” Yabumoto said. “We know that they (Tokay) are a good team.”
Two days earlier against St. Mary’s at the Lodi Softball Complex on April 30, Yabumoto went 3-for-5 and scored a run. That helped Lodi, which had 21
hits, knock off the Rams 14-12.
Next Monday, Yabumoto and Lodi enter the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs as the No. 12 seed and play at No. 5 Atwater. This is the second time in three seasons that the Flames have advanced into post-season.
Entering the playoffs, Yabumoto has a .343 batting average and 15 RBIs. On defense, she has a .963 fielding percentage; she has 78 put outs out of 81 attempts.
At the beginning of this season, Yabumoto and the Flames want to “leave it all on the field.” A bigger motivation for her is having to have broken her leg and broken her hand — twice — in the last six years.
“Really try my hardest,” Yabumoto said. “It definitely showed more toward the end.”
Yabumoto and fellow seniors Shelby Featherston and Alyssa Pinto want the focus more on the Flames, as they prepare for
the playoffs.
“We’ve always had good players on the team the last four years that I’ve been here,” Yabumoto said. “This year is really different. As soon as we started tryouts and practicing, we just feel the difference in terms of how we bond together. Our goal (in the playoffs) is just one game at a time. We really want to come out strong.
Life on the diamond is like second family for Yabumoto. In recent years, she has been playing on the California Grapettes 18 Gold. The Stockton based travel program will be playing, and has played in recent years, at tournaments in Colorado, Texas and Illinois.
Once the summer travel ball season ends toward the end of July, Yabumoto wants to spend as much time as possible with family and friends.
“I just want to hang out with family and friends before we leave,” Yabumoto said. “I definitely
have thought about leaving everybody, and it kind of sucks.”
In particular with twin brother Bobby, who also plays catcher and shortstop on the Lodi High baseball team; Allisa is the oldest by two minutes. Allisa and Bobby have been hitting, catching and throwing runners out since they started playing T-ball at age 5. Each have been playing competitive ball since age 9.
This August, Allisa will be attending George Fox University in Newberg, Ore. on a scholarship. Bobby will be attending San Francisco State.
“Bobby will definitely be the hardest person to go away from,” said Allisa of her twin brother. “We have a really strong bond.”