Leighton Gray has started her sophomore season on a tear.
The shortstop is batting .529 and has slugged five home runs to help the Norco softball team open the season with seven straight wins.
Gray’s blasts have come in big moments. She belted a three-run homer in the seventh inning to help the Cougars rally for a 6-3 win over Mater Dei in the season opener. Gray hit a two-run homer in the first inning against Ganesha, and her solo blast in the sixth inning against JSerra was the difference in a 1-0 win. She added two more home runs to her tally last weekend against Los Alamitos and La Mirada.
Gray has homered in four straight games, the first player in program history to accomplish that feat since Mya Perez did it in 2022.
It is quite a start for Gray, who batted .265 with three home runs and 14 RBIs across 27 games as a freshman.
Gray looks to keep things going when Norco begins play at the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions in Bullhead City, Ariz., on Thursday.
STADLMAN BURNS UP THE TRACK
Temecula Valley senior Jack Stadlman has been the early breakout star of the track and field season.
Stadlman claimed the 400-meter individual title at last weekend’s Saddle-Up Invitational hosted by Vista Murrieta. Stadlman’s time of 45.69 seconds broke the previous stadium record, which was held by former Vista Murrieta star and two-time Olympian Michael Norman.
More impressive, Stadlman’s time puts him at No. 2 in Riverside County history, trailing only the 45.19 that Norman posted in winning the event at the 2015 CIF State Championships. Stadlman’s time is No. 8 in state history, according to prepcaltrack.com editor Rich Gonzalez.
Stadlman was a basketball player before turning to track and field last season. He competed mostly in the sprints and placed eighth in the 200 meters at the CIF Southern Section Division 2 finals. Stadlman ran the 400 meters only twice last year, with his top time being 49.06.
LINFIELD CHRISTIAN, ROOSEVELT BOYS GOLF START STRONG
The Linfield Christian boys golf team is off to an impressive start, posting four victories over Southwestern League opponents.
The Lions opened the season with a 197-205 victory over Temecula Valley, swept a home-and-home series against Murrieta Valley (212-232 and 191-210) and also took down Vista Murrieta (194-215).
Luke Bohmer shot rounds of 36 (even par) and 35 (1 under par) in the nonleague victories over Murrieta Valley and another 35 in the win over Vista Murrieta.
Linfield Christian opens Ambassador League play against Woodcrest Christian on Wednesday at Riverside’s Victoria Club.
Another Inland boys golf team off to a strong start is Roosevelt.
The Mustangs are 3-0, including a 195-209 victory last week over reigning Baseline League champion Los Osos at Goose Creek Golf Club in Jurupa Valley. Ian Kim, Yuvi Batta, and Matthias Wharton shot matching 38s (2 over par) to lead Roosevelt to the victory.
Roosevelt opens Big VIII League play March 11 against defending champion King at General Old Golf Course in Riverside.
CAL LUTHERAN’S ASH SETS COUNTY RECORD
Cal Lutheran baseball star Ethan Ash had a record-setting performance Monday afternoon.
Ash, a senior shortstop, went 5 for 5 with two doubles, two triples and 12 RBIs during the C-Hawks’ 27-0 nonleague victory over Grove. Ash singled home a pair of runs in his first at-bat and tripled in another run in his second. He came to the plate with the bases loaded in each of his final three at-bats, and Ash cleared them each time with two doubles and a triple.
Ash’s RBI total is tied for fifth-most in state history, according to the calhisports.com record book, and also broke the previous Riverside County record of 11 RBIs in a single game set by Linfield Christian’s Rob Caldwell in 1981.
Ash is batting .889 (16 of 18) with 25 RBIs through the first four games of the season.
