RECRUITING CORNER Walker-brown signs with Cal State San Bernardino

After leading River Valley High’s girls basketball team to the best season in program history this past winter, Le Aundra Walker-brown had to decide where to continue her playing career at the next level.

Two NCAA Division-ii schools – Cal State San Bernardino and Cal State East Bay – jumped to the top of her list after she visited both campuses, and she was left with the difficult task of choosing which university would be the best fit for her both academically and athletically.

On Monday, Walker-brown made her decision final by signing a National Letter of Intent to play for Cal State San Bernardino during a ceremony inside River Valley’s library.

It was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for the Falcons’ doit-all guard, who received a nice scholarship to play for the Coyotes in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.

“It really all came down to who was giving me the best offer. A lot of people were telling me that I’m a Division-i player, but when you put your faith in God, he’s going to show you what path to take and I think this was the best choice,” Walker-brown said. “When I was on the campus, it felt like I was at home. They have the major I wanted, and it feels like I made the right decision for me.”

Walker-brown was named the 2017-18 Appeal-democrat All-area Player of the Year last week after turning in a sensational senior season for River Valley.

Courtesy photo River Valley High senior Le Aundra Walker-brown signed a National Letter of Intent to play college basketball at Cal State San Bernardino on Monday. Seated next to her are her parents, Ebonie Walker-brown and Joshua Brown.

First-round playoff games are set for next Tuesday.

In the junior varsity game, Eli Carlos went 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI to help the Huskies to a 9-6 win over the Bulldogs and a perfect finish in the BVL.

Brandon Taddy was 2 for 2 with an RBI, James Tapia doubled and drove in two runs, and Alex Solano struck out five and allowed one earned run over five innings to earn the win for Sutter (26-4-1, 10-0), which ended the season on a 21-game winning streak.

Colusa 17, Live Oak 10 In Colusa – Blake Steidlmayer and Leo Guzman drove in four runs each as the Redhawks outslugged the Lions to cap off a second-place finish in the Sacramento Valley League behind Winters.

Steidlmayer ended the day 3 for 5, Guzman was 2 for 4 and Ethan Rakela went 2 for 5 with two RBIS and two runs scored in the win.

Colusa (22-9, 6-2) will find out its playoff seed when the Division IV-VI brackets are released on Wednesday.

No information was provided by Live Oak (4-12, 3-5).

Orland 8, Wheatland 7, 9 inn. In Orland – The Trojans scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth to hand the Pirates a loss in their BVL finale.

Jordan Getz went 3 for 5 with two runs scored and Logan Tapp was 3 for 6 with a double and two RBIS to lead the way for Wheatland at the plate.

Jake Jacobsen added a 2-for6 showing with an RBI and two runs scored, Wyatt Stokes was 2 for 4 with an RBI and Chanse Davis knocked in a run as well.

Despite their seventh straight loss, Pirates (7-14, 1-9) should make the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in Division III when the brackets come out today.

SOFTBALL East Nicolaus 15, Hamilton 0, 6 inn. East Nicolaus 11, Hamilton 1, 5 inn.

In Hamilton City – The Spartans capped off a dominant run through the Mid-valley League by not allowing a hit in a doubleheader sweep of the Braves.

Avery Croxall led the way in the opener by striking out 16 of the 18 batters she faced while firing a perfect game. Emma Gaytan went 2 for 3 with two doubles and four RBIS, Savannah Price finished 3 for 4 with a double and three RBIS, and Riley Grigsby was 2 for 4 with an RBI to supply the offense in the win.

In the second game, Savhanna Angland was the standout as she struck out eight batters while throwing a no-hitter. The only two baserunners she allowed came on errors, and she helped herself out by going 2 for 2 with two doubles and two RBIS at the plate.

Price went 3 for 3 with two doubles and four RBIS, Grigsby was 3 for 3 with a home run and two RBIS, and Haley Busby finished 2 for 3 with three RBIS in that blowout.

East Nicolaus (28-2, 9-0) will prepare for the playoffs with a nonleague tune-up game at home against Lindhurst on Monday.

Sutter 10, Gridley 0, 6 inn. In Sutter – Juliana Capaul, Julia Tarke and Sam Anderson smacked three hits each, and the Huskies finished off a perfect run through the BVL with a mercyrule victory over the Bulldogs at Ruth Lowman Field.

Capaul homered, doubled and drove in two runs, Tarke had an RBI, Hailey Peterson connected for a two-run homer and Cassidi Delgado added a double in the victory.

Peterson also earned the win in the circle by striking out eight and tossing a one-hit shutout.

Sutter (22-1, 10-0) will host Marysville in a nonleague game today.

No information from the game was reported by Gridley (7-13, 2-8).

In the junior varsity contest, Sydney Harper struck out 10 and hit a double to help her own cause at the plate to lift the Huskies to a 6-2 win over the Bulldogs. Paige Thompson finished 3 for 3, Meadow Topete was 2 for 3 and Caeley Jackson doubled to supply the offense for Sutter (10-8, 9-1).

Colusa 10, Live Oak 0, 5 inn. In Colusa – Seniors Josie Garofalo, Addie Taylor, Sidney Lay and Ashley Huff each hit RBI singles in their final regular-season home game, and the Redhawks clinched at least a share of the SVL title with a shutout victory over the Lions.

Lay also struck out five and tossed a one-hitter in the mercyrule shortened game. Colusa could win the league title outright if rival Pierce can win at least one game from Willows next week.

In the mean time, the Redhawks (18-5-2, 7-1) will prepare for the playoffs with road games next week at Orland and Sutter.

No information from the game was reported by Live Oak (2-16, 0-8). Lindhurst 14, Natomas 1, 5 inn. In Olivehurst – The Blazers bounced back from Tuesday’s loss to Marysville and kept their hopes for a share of the Golden Empire League title alive with a mercy-rule victory over the Nighthawks.

Mattie Cheever went 2 for 3 with a triple, RBI and a run scored, and Marissa Tracey was 2 for 3 and scored twice to lead the way at the plate for Lindhurst. Karena Brito also knocked in a pair of runs, and Kayla Howard finished with an RBI and a run scored.

Danika Martin struck out five over the first three innings and Cheever fanned two over the final two frames as the duo combined to pitch a two-hitter.

The Blazers (14-10, 8-3) moved to a half-game back of Marysville and West Campus in the GEL standings with the win, and will travel to play River City for a nonleague game on Saturday.