Live Oak junior pitcher Bella Pacheco (8) throws a pitch in the Lady Lions’ 16-0 victory over Esparto on Tuesday, March 5.

LIVE OAK, CA (MPG) - The Live Oak softball program is off to its best start in a couple seasons as they finished up the conclusion of the Maxwell tournament on Saturday, March 9, going with a 2-1 record in the tournament.

Overall, Live Oak was 5-1 heading into competition this week with a game scheduled at Gridley this past Tuesday and are scheduled to host Oroville today at 4 p.m. 

The Lady Lions have a third of their roster that is new faces to the program this season, including four freshman, and Live Oak Head Coach Kevin Medeiros expressed to the Herald that the skill and talent is there and that he wants to see them grasp the concept of it being varsity softball compared to recreation/travel ball.

Medeiros added that he is going to be looking for his returning players to help the newer Lady Lions adjust into the program.

Live Oak freshman outfielder Olivia Duran singles in the third inning of the Lady Lions’ 16-0 win over Esparto on Tuesday, March 5.

Live Oak has brutalized opposing pitching so far in their first six games of the season as the lowest run total they have had in a game is eight, which was their opening game of the season in an 8-2 victory over Lindhurst on February 27.

Last week, the Lady Lions scored 59 runs in their four games against Esparto, Hamilton, Williams and Chester.       

Live Oak junior Alexa Medina led the Lady Lions with 10 hits after the conclusion of the Maxwell tournament last weekend, and senior Aubrey Lopez was right behind with nine hits in the early part of the season.

Medeiros told the Herald he wanted to see his team continue good contact with the ball and focus on making their defensive plays.

In the circle for Live Oak, freshman pitcher Brooklyn Murphey has seen 17 innings of work along with fanning 31 opposing batters for strikeouts, and only surrendered eight hits in the early part of the year.    

Lady Lions junior Bella Pacheco has pitched 7.2 innings so far this season, including a one-hitter on Tuesday, March 5, versus Esparto where she also struck out seven hitters in the five innings pitched.

Live Oak starts Sacramento Valley League play next week against Colusa. This will be the final season for the Lady Lions in the SVL due to realignment as they will move to the Butte View League next year.