Normally, a team’s No. 8 and 9 batters scrap to get on base so the leadoff can move them along.
There was nothing normal Thursday in the bottom of the second inning between East Union and visiting Manteca in Valley Oak League softball action at Garvine Field.
With the Buffaloes having taken a three-run lead in the top of the second, the Lancers No. 8 batter Cali Blevins came to the plate with two on, one out and one across. She promptly launched one over the right-center-field fence that scored Danielle Ramos and Shelby Cefalu to put East Union ahead by one. Bella Anchundo and Dani Godoy followed with bombs to almost the same spot for three of five Lancers home runs on the way to a 14-4 five-inning East Union win.
“I never felt electricity like that in my life,” Lancers coach Brian Goulart said of the three consecutive home runs. “I have been coaching here since 2003 and that is the first time since I have ever been coaching that I felt that. It was literally electrifying. The crowd was going crazy. I couldn’t believe what I was watching.”
Back in the leadoff slot after a short absence, Godoy did not disappoint. She reached base four times, going 2 for 3 with a home run and a walk.
“Our energy was super high,” Godoy said. “It’s always fun playing our crosstown rivals — we always come out with everything we have against them and we did that today.
“Having our energy up motivated every single one of our players to do their best.”
East Union (5-0 VOL, 8-4 overall) hit two more out of the park in the fourth inning, both of them landing on the second fence behind the home-run fence.
“After that big second, Shelby (Cefalu) and Chloe (Agueda) cap it off in the fourth with balls off the big fence which I have never seen since I have been here,” Goulart said. “And then to have it happen in the same inning two batters apart was special.
“This is the team we think we can be. I think our identity is in our base running and swinging the bat. Two days in a row we were down and came back. I think we have it in us to be fighters.”
Agueda’s blast was a two-run shot off the top of the second fence, plating Allie Parker (RBI, three runs) for an 11-4 lead. Cefalu had an RBI on a sacrifice fly that scored Parker in the second to finish with two RBI.
“I just saw it right down the middle,” Agueda said. “I had to hit it as hard as I could.
“Instantly when it left the bat, I knew it was going over.”
Mack Salgado (2 for 4, three RBI, triple, run) ended the game in the fifth inning with a bases-clearing triple, scoring Savina Molina (triple, two runs), Parker and Agueda.
Anchundo finished 2 for 3 with a home run as part of the 11-run Lancers attack.
“That is a good-hitting team over there,” Manteca coach Josh Farris said. “They hit that many home runs for a reason.  They know how to hit the ball.
“We are hitting the ball too, but it is tough to come back from all those bombs. Tip your hat to them.”
The Buffaloes (2-2, 5-5) took a 3-0 second-inning lead on a solo home run by Alyssah Harnden and RBI singles by Bella Gonzales (2 for 3, two RBI) and Mohrgen Kissee that plated Camrenne Genilla (2 for 2, run) and Ariana Lowery, respectively.
Gonzales singled in Ella Washburn in the fourth for the other Manteca run.

Junior varsity
East Union 14, Manteca 5
Winning pitcher Emily Mendoza rung up seven strikeouts in seven innings of work from the circle while also going 4 for 4 with three RBIs at the plate.
Kaitlyn Reyes smacked three hits, scored three runs and drove in one. Emma Silva finished 3 for 4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Jessica Williams added a single and two RBIs.