Tonna: Star on the Diamond
By JASREET SARAN
The Tower
MANTECA- Whoosh, Isabel Tona chucks the ball at lightning speed towards the hitter who misses the hit and strikes out. The opposing team fears whenever Isabel Tonna steps up to pitch.
A standout pitcher, Isabel Tonna, is a good pitching prospect coming out of the region. Last season she dominated throwing a 3.18 ERA (Earned Run Average), highlighting her ability to be a strong pitcher on the field. She led her team to a 21-9 record and leading them to the CIF D-3 Semifinals, ultimately losing to Central Catholic, who was the 1 seed during that season.
In the offseason she has been training hard to perfect her craft and help her teammate reach the section championship.
“During the off-season I work out and try to get a lot of reps in (pitching),” said Tonna.
She works extremely hard in the off-season to maintain and improve her softball skills. But like many star players, she still has room for improvement and can always do better.
“For pitching, I am trying to improve my game by hitting my spots better, and throwing faster,” said Tonna.
Manteca Softball Player Isabelle Latona being interviewed by Jasreet Saran next to the classes by the student parking lot on December 10, 2025 (Diego Aguilar).
Tonna is not just a standalone star; she is a team player. She always wants to do her best for her teammates and for her coach to be happy. She pushes everyone to win every game possible.
“Belle is an amazing teammate, she is always cheering on everyone else, and she just wants to see everybody else succeed and she is supportive for whatever we decide to do on or off the pitch. She is selfless,” said Riley Ward.
Tonna’s leadership and athletic skills have been recognized across the region, earning her a scholarship offer to play Division II softball at Hawaii Pacific University. She is honored to join such a competitive program and excited to contribute to a team with championship goals.
Tonna has had many outstanding moments, from winning to reaching playoffs, but her favorite moment was when she led her team to defeat Oakdale for the first time in 11 years.
“Last year when we beat Oakdale for the first time in 11 years was my proudest moment because it felt amazing to do such a feat that people thought was not possible,” said Tonna.
“Isabel Tonna surprised me many times. We have had a couple tough games such as Oakdale where she came in and helped us when we were struggling,” said Ward.
But most importantly it is someone who inspired her to love the game of softball in the first place. The person who inspired her to play softball and keep her motivated to play even during the tough times when she had ups and downs with her father has always been there.
“My dad inspired me to play because he kept me motivated through my ups and downs in the sport,” said Tonna.
Isabel Tonna’s dominance on the mound and her selfless leadership have made her a foundation of her team’s success. With her relentless drive and scholarship opportunity ahead, she is set to keep shining as a true star on the diamond.