The first day of the Nike Faster to First Classic featured one upset after the other, but Sheldon of Sacramento, ranked No. 1 in the nation by ESPN RISE, came through unscathed and El Modena, Canyon and Esperanza punched their tickets to the quarterfinals with two victories apiece on Thursday at the Huntington Beach Sports Complex.

No. 4 Norco, No. 5 Hart of Newhall, No. 9 Sunnyslope of Phoenix, Ariz., No. 12 Valencia of Valencia, No. 24 Sunrise Mountain of Peoria, Ariz., No. 25 Simi Valley, No. 35 Piedra Vista of Farmington, N.M., and No. 39 Vista Murrieta all tasted defeat on Day 1 of the prestigious softball tournament, which features teams from six different states.

El Modena needed nine innings to outlast West Orange of Wintergarden, Fla., 2-1, and the Vanguards used a four-run rally in the fifth to come from behind and beat St. Francis of Honolulu, Hawaii, 5-3.

Canyon knocked off Sunnyslope, 2-1, and followed up with a 4-0 victory over El Toro.

Esperanza also had a strong showing with victories over Sunrise Mountain, 2-1, and Chino, 8-1.

Pacifica bounced back from an opening loss to Sheldon, 3-0, to upset Simi Valley, 7-1.

In Nike Faster to First Classic games:

El Modena 2, West Orange (Wintergarden, Fla.) 1: Jessica Kelly scored from third on a bases-loaded passed ball and Devin Vanderhoff scored on an error by the first baseman and the Vanguards (6-3) held on to beat the Warriors (11-2) in nine innings.

Sophomore Haylie Wagner allowed one hit and struck out 20 ti record the victory for El Modena.

El Modena 5, St. Francis (Honolulu, Hawaii) 3: The Vanguards (7-3) rallied for four runs in the fifth to pull out a victory over the Troubadours.

Esperanza 2, Sunrise Mountain (Peoria, Ariz.) 1: Kailyn Johnson drove in the game-tying run with a double and scored on Kelsea Roth's double as the Aztecs (5-5-1) knocked off the Mustangs (11-2-1), ranked No. 24 in the nation, in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Esperanza 8, Chino 1: Kailyn Johnson hit a two-run homer Kristin Scharkey had a three-run shot to lead the Aztecs (6-5-1) past the Cowboys (5-2).

Canyon 2, Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1: Sophomore Cheyanne Tarango retired the final 13 batters to record a two-hitter with 13 strikeouts as the Comanches (6-4) beat the Vikings (9-3).

Canyon 4, El Toro 0:Tarango belted a two-run homer in the top of the first and finished with a three-hit shutout and nine strikeouts as the Comanches (7-4) beat the Chargers (5-6).

El Toro 3, Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.) 2: Shannon Tinsley hit a game-tying, two-run homer in the fourth and MacKenzie Teskey's walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh gave the Chargers (5-5) the victory over the Vikings (9-4).

Freedom (Oakley) 1, Norco 0: Fresno State-bound Hannah Williams outlasted Stanford-bound Teagan Gerhart in a pitchers duel to lead the Falcons (4-1), ranked No. 33 in the nation, over the Cougars (6-2), ranked No. 4 in the nation.

Williams scattered five hits and struck out 10 to get the victory, while Gerhart allowed two hits and struck out 12 to take the loss.

Freedom got the lone run in the bottom of the eighth inning when Malena Padilla scored Jackie Zepeda with a suicide squeeze.

Rodriguez (Fairfield) 4, Hart (Newhall) 1: Teanna Brooks had a two-run double during the Mustangs' three-run first inning rally and Rodriguez went on to defeat the Indians, ranked No. 5 in the nation.

Sheldon (Sacramento) 3, Pacifica 0: Cal-bound Jolene Henderson tossed a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts and Danielle Wiltz went 2 for 3 with an RBI to lift the Huskies (6-0), ranked No. 1 in the nation, over the Mariners (2-5).

Pacifica 7, Simi Valley 1: Kayla Anderson went 3 for 4 and drove in three runs as the Mariners (3-5) upset the Pioneers (6-1), ranked No. 25 in the nation.

Sheldon (Sacramento) 2, Simi Valley 0: Henderson pitched a one-hitter with 13 strikeouts and Cal-bound Lindsey Ziegenhirt hit a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to give the Huskies (7-0) the victory over the Pioneers (6-2).

Norco 1, Carl Sandburg (Orland Park, Ill.) 0: Stanford-bound Teagan Gerhart pitched a one-hitter with 17 strikesout as the Cougars (7-2) took care of the Eagles (1-1).

Camarillo 1, Ayala (Chino Hills) 0: Jennifer Manuel's RBI double in the sixth gave the Scorpions (3-4) the victory over the Bulldogs (7-2), ranked No. 38 in the nation.

Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 3, Vista Murrieta 1: Krystal Camina drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the fifth and UCLA-bound Ally Carda finished with 14 strikeouts to lift the Eagles (11-1) over the Broncos (5-1), ranked No. 39 in the nation.

Valencia (Valencia) 2, Vista Murrieta 1: Lauren Boser went 2 for 2 with two RBIs as the Vikings (9-1) got past the Broncos (5-2).

Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 6, Valencia (Valencia) 5: Carda belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth as the Eagles (12-1) upset the Vikings (9-2), ranked No. 12 in the nation.

West Orange (Wintergarden, Fla.) 7, St. Francis (Honolulu, Hawaii) 0: Florida Atlantic-bound Taylor Fawbush went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and pitched a four-hitter as the Warriors (12-2) defeated the Troubadours.

Ayala (Chino Hills) 5, Cienega (Vail, Ariz.) 0: Jessica Hall pitched a one-hitter and Nikki Chavez hit a solo homer in the third as the Bulldogs (8-2) beat the Bobcats (8-5).

Contact the writer: carias@ocregister.com