SELMA — Selma High’s softball Bears put on quite an offensive show to open the 2021 season.

Coach Chris Tapia’s Lady Bears out scored the opposition 25-4 in two games. In their home and season opener on March 30, Selma came from behind to pound out a 12-2 victory over the Reedley High Pirates at Duran Diamond before traveling to Kerman and coming home with a 13-2 win over the Lions.

Genna Martinez hit a home run in each game while freshman Khamara Dement put on a defensive show at shortstop and recorded seven hits in eight at-bats for an early batting average of .875.

Martinez has now hit nine home runs in the last ten games, with a career total of 14, which is believed to be a school record. When told there were no records, Tapia sent by text, "Well that’s too bad. Genna is at 14, but we have nothing to compare it to.”

Selma exploded for 10 runs in the top half of the fourth inning against Kerman, highlighted by three-run homers off the bat of winning pitcher Emilee Sanchez (the number nine batter) and Martinez.

In the win over Reedley, the Lady Bears erased an early 2-0 deficit with a six-run deficit with a six-run third inning. All the hits and runs were recorded after two were out. Jadyn Hurtado started the rally with her second single of the day. Dement drove her in with a high bouncer over the head of the third baseman. On a 3-0 pitch, Martinez cleared the left field fence. After one of Reedley’s seven errors in the game, freshman Sophia Roque ripped a triple into the right field corner before scoring on an error.

Sanchez allowed three hits and (two off the bat of Sadie Decker) and one earned run.

A Friday road game with McLane in Fresno will be covered in next week’s edition.

Roundup

Selma High’s baseball team is hoping to bounce back from an 0-4 start with a Tuesday (after press time) road game at Washington Union. In the Bears’ last outing, Kerman came away with a 15-1 victory at Allen Cropsey Diamond at Bobby Cox Field on March 31.

Umpires actually called the game after five innings (with Kerman leading 13-0) before realizing there is no 10-run rule in non-tournament games.

The Lions took advantage of three Selma errors to score eight runs in the second inning.

At the plate, the Bears struck out 12 times against two Kerman pitchers. Lee Estrada had two of the Bears’ seven hits. Dustin Darling scored the only Selma run.

In the season opener on March 29, Liberty scored runs in the way to a 3-1 win.

The Lady Bears’ soccer season began on March 30 in Orange Cove with a 7-0 blanking of the Orange Cove High School Titans.

Junior Mya Rosas scored two goals and had an assist for the winners. Junior Rosselyn Machado and senior Pamela Hernandez added two goals while Celeste Mariscal and Stephanie Garcia each two assists. Freshman America Ruiz and sophomore Sukhman were credited with one assist.

The Lady Bears hosted Washington Union Saturday in a match played after deadline.

Selma High’s boys soccer team is still looking for a win after losses to Madera and Kerman in the first home matches in over three years.

Against Kerman, the Bears fell behind 1-0 in the first 40 seconds of the match. It was 4-0 before senior season Gerardo Soto scored the first of his two goals. The Lions prevailed by a 5-2 score.

In their home opener on March 30, and the Madera coyotes recorded a 3 to 1 win what was the Bears. Head coach Ruben Zamora that Selma had an excellent chance to win the game. Vacations and injuries are keeping the Bears from being at full strength, said the coach.

Selma returns to the pitch for the Central Sequoia League opener at Hanford West on March 7. Both the Selma boys and girls will host Sunnyside on Saturday, April 10 beginning with the girls match at 11 a.m.

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