The state’s top strikeout pitcher is in Merced County and celebrating a career milestone

Janessa Jasso didn’t wait long to reach her milestone on Tuesday afternoon. The Dos Palos High senior felt like she’d been waiting forever since recording her 999th strikeout on Friday against Avenal.

Not even a bout with the flu could keep Jasso from reaching a goal she’s been working toward for four years.

The Dos Palos High senior struck out Mendota leadoff hitter Alyssa Sanchez to start the game. That’s when the balloons came on the field.

Jasso had recorded her 1,000th strikeout during her high school career at Dos Palos.

The game was briefly stopped as her teammates rushed the circle.

Dos Palos coach Irene Barrantes came out of the dugout to embrace Jasso. The Broncos junior varsity team held up a sign from over the center-field fence and the Jasso family came out with balloons in the shape of 1,000.

As soon as Jasso’s little brother Jonathan could figure out which way to hold up the one, they proudly posed for pictures.

As for the game, Dos Palos won 11-0 in a game stopped after five innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.

Hardly anybody will remember the score. They will remember Jasso’s milestone moment.

“I wanted my balloons,” Jasso joked.

With just weeks left in her high school career, this was a moment Jasso wanted to savor. Especially on this field where most of her accomplishments have come.

“I set that goal my freshman year and to finally hit it four years later, it’s a sigh of relief and really exciting,” Jasso said. “It just sounded like a really nice number like a thousand just sounds like a lot.”

Jasso finished with nine strikeouts as she tossed a one-hit shutout against the Aztecs (6-11, 2-3 West Sierra League). Nobody really cared that she lost a no-hitter with two outs in the fifth inning.

Jasso improved to 17-1 on the season with a 0.44 ERA.

Her career numbers at Dos Palos are mind boggling. The future Iowa State hurler is 74-9 with a 0.67 ERA. She has 1,009 strikeouts in just under 578 innings pitched.

Her 228 strikeouts this year rank first in California and ninth in the nation.

“She’s just been a blessing,” said Barrantes, who has coached Jasso all four years at Dos Palos.

There was some doubt – at least, in Barrantes’ mind – whether Jasso would pitch on Tuesday. She came down with the flu on Sunday.

“She was really sick (Monday),” Barrantes said. “I told her, ‘Janessa, I don’t think you’re going to be able to pitch on Tuesday.’ She said, ‘Coach, I need to pitch. I need to get my 1,000th strikeout.’ She’s so competitive. She’s just an all-around great kid. She’s a great student. She takes all (advanced placement) and honors classes.”

Jasso made the day even more memorable hitting her first home run of the season and adding a triple.

“I did not expect that at all,” Jasso said. “I was just trying for a base hit. It was magical that it went over the wall.”

Jasso knows she has a bright future at Iowa State waiting for her, but she’s not ready to take off her Broncos uniform just yet.

“I’m almost sad when I think about it,” Jasso said. “I get emotional thinking I won’t play here anymore. I know I’m going to have fun in college. That’s everyone’s dream to play in college. But it’s going to be really hard not playing here anymore. This is where I became a pitcher.”

This story was originally published April 9, 2019 at 10:09 PM.