The last time that the Wheatland Union High softball team made a section final Zereniti Sousa was roaming the diamond out in south Yuba County.

Sousa, who’s currently at the University of Memphis following a transfer from Utah State, helped Wheatland to a spot in the Sac-Joaquin Section championship in 2023 in its first year as a member school of the SJS where it fell to Orestimba, 8-3 to finish runner-up in its division. Wheatland was 20-9 that year with Sousa leading the way as a career .488 hitter as a Pirate.

Lo and behold, there’s another Sousa making headway at Wheatland with the emergence of Zereniti’s younger sister, Tatum Sousa, in the lineup in 2026 for Thomas La Gabed’s program. Sousa is sixth in D-V this week, hitting .644 for a Wheatland squad a half-game out of the top-3 playoff threshold in the Pioneer Valley League following an 18-1 rout over Colfax – the second double-digit output from the Pirates in league.

“Off to a great start,” La Gabed said following the Marysville win. “We’re young with a bright future and showing it on the field.” 

Tatum Sousa, a junior center fielder for Wheatland (7-5-1, 2-2 PVL), brings a spark from her leadoff spot and is a menace on the base paths.  Sousa leads D-V with 17 stolen bases heading into the third week of league that opens at Mira Loma Tuesday and home against second place Lincoln on Thursday.

“Tatum is super fast; plays a solid center field,” La Gabed said. “That’s a girl you will see in an (NCAA)  D-I school somewhere.”

In the circle, freshman Lariah Hyatt leads the way with six of the Pirates’ seven wins and a team-low 4.91 ERA among eligible arms. Hyatt has wins over Colfax and Marysville – the latter she posted a 12-0 shutout in five innings while allowing just two hits.

“Outstanding pitching performance,” La Gabed said. 

Marysville head coach Scott Landrum said Hyatt has an array of pitches that can flummox most hitters in the league.

“(Lariah’s) strength is movement and location,” Landrum said after the 12-0 loss to Wheatland. “If you watch, you can see us in front hitting balls on the end of the bat – and that’s a credit to Lariah to be able to put the ball where it she needs to put it to make it difficult.” 

Landrum and the Indians (4-11, 2-2 PVL) remain in a battle to find an identity this spring following a slower start.

“We’re experienced freshman-heavy; the younger kids have played a lot of ball, but varsity makes it more pressure,” Landrum said. “It’s on us to do what we need to do, and that’s the part we’re working on.” 

However, since its loss to Wheatland, Marysville has won twice in league by a combined 30-1 spread. On Thursday, it routed Center (Antelope) 16-1 behind a pair of hits and three RBI from senior Emma Mallen. Pitchers Izabella Acosta and Charlize Harryman combined on five innings to officially subdue Center. Harryman got the win. 

Marysville is at Oakmont Tuesday; followed by a home bout with PVL leader Bear River (Grass Valley) on Thursday at 4 p.m. at MHS. 

“All the teams are close because we are inexperienced,” Landrum said … “we’re probably at the bottom of the middle group, but I think Lincoln, Wheatland, Bear River, Colfax, Oakmont, are all about the same level, and we’re right below. I expect to see us have a strong second half and get in the mix.” 

– Yuba City (8-7, 2-1 FVL) is in a tie for the lead in the Foothill Valley League with rival River  Valley (9-3, 2-1) and Roseville with two road tilts coming up at Placer Thursday and Twelve Bridges a week from Tuesday. YC looks to improve on its second place finish from 2025 where it finished a game back of Roseville in the FVL. Roseville beat YC and RV once and hosts the Honkers on April 14 and travels to the RV Falcons on April 21. 

– Sutter (9-1, 3-1) sits top-5 in D-V, a half-game behind reigning SJS champion Destiny Christian Academy for the lead in the Golden Empire League. Dixon and DCA are tied atop the GEL at 3-0. 

Liliana Speakman leads Sutter in hitting (.556) while Brooklyn Murphey is unbeaten in the circle at 6-0 heading into a three-game week starting with Natomas at home Tuesday; at DCA Thursday; and at SJS D-II No. 12 Woodcreek Friday.