Season's Over: Elk Grove Loses To Del Campo

It's been quite a spring for Amanda Buck. The Elk Grove High School softball coach barely threw out the first pitch on the season when she had to take a few weeks off to give birth to a baby boy. Former head coach Jeff Alexander filled in quite well, thank you, and the Herd started its march back to the Sacramento Softball Complex, site of the Sac-Joaquin Section's playoffs.
Those few weeks off actually turned into just a few days. Buck just couldn't stay away too long from the softball dirt.
"I enjoy being out here and I love this team," Buck said. "This team was young and I think they learned a lot. They grew in just a couple months and I am proud of them."

Elk Grove coach Amanda Buck

The Herd finished in second place in a competitive Delta League and was handed a number nine seed in the Division II playoffs. Just last season Elk Grove was the runner-up to Benecia in D-2. This time, the road was a bit tougher.
Elk Grove lost last Saturday to No. 1 seed Rocklin, 1-0, but came back in the losers' bracket of the double-elimination tournament with big wins over St. Francis and No. 2 Roseville.
Wednesday they needed two wins to return to the D-2 finals, but in the early game that evening Elk Grove just didn't have much offense against pitcher Brea Larsen and Del Campo and exited the post-season with a 3-2 loss. Miranda Rodriguez and Miranda Menees-Miles drove in Herd runs. Elk Grove finished with a 18-12 record, a mark Buck said was okay.
Now, she'll take the summer to be a mom to her two girls and son and return in the fall as a P.E. teacher and softball coach. She expects Alexander to be in the dugout with her.
"We'll lose a big pitcher/catcher duo (Courtney Riley and Jazmine Moreno) that had a lot of chemistry together," Buck said. "If we can find something comparable, we'll be okay."
And, figures to be around Elk Grove long enough to coach her girls.
"I have one seven years old and she's playing (softball)," Buck said.