NCS playoffs: Granada softball walks-off Foothill, Alameda baseball gets comeback win
Softball
Division I
No. 6 Granada 12, No. 11 Foothill 10
Granada senior Jayden Roldan walked off the host Matadors in the bottom of the seventh inning when she blasted a double into center field to break a 10-10 deadlock.
A few batters before that, Delaney Aumua, who was 3 for 3 with four runs scored, tied the game with a leadoff homer.
Granada improved to 13-9 and will travel to No. 3 College Park on Friday, while Foothill ended its season 12-10.
The teams combined for 27 hits in a back and forth game. After Granada scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at nine apiece, Foothill’s Ellie Novitske drew a bases loaded walk to retake the lead with two outs.
But the next batter grounded out, keeping the difference at just one, which wasn’t enough for the Falcons.
Foothill standout Kaycie Burdick had a home run and four RBIs, and teammate Sophia Burdick was 3 for 5.
Granada seniors Hannah Temple and Sarah Deplitch each hit home runs, and Madison Hom had a team-high three RBIs despite not getting a hit.
No. 1 California 8, No. 16 Berkeley 0
California’s postseason quest for a second consecutive NCS Division I title began with an easy shutout against visiting Berkeley. Senior ace Kaitlyn Le threw a complete game and had 10 strikeouts and zero walks.
Sophomore catcher Shayla Santolucito was the star offensively, going 3 for 4 with a home run and a team-high three RBIs. Jayda Crosby and Kirsten Li each had two hits for the Grizzlies.
Berkeley, which ended its season 11-12, saw Camden Bernhard hit two doubles and Oona Capristo go 2 for 3 in the last game of the Yellowjackets’ season.
California improved to 17-8 and will play host to San Ramon Valley on Friday in a rematch of last season’s NCS Division I title game.
No. 3 College Park 2, No. 14 Arroyo 1
The third-seeded Falcons survived a first-round scare after visiting No. 14 Arroyo gave the Pleasant Hill school everything it could handle on Wednesday night.
Arroyo tied the game in the top of the fourth inning on Savina Romero’s RBI single, but then College Park retook the lead in their half of the frame when Lyka Capulong drove a ground ball to second base and drove Avery Rodriguez in.
Arroyo freshman Sadie Fernandez allowed just one walk and a single earned run in a stellar playoff debut in the circle.
In the top of the seventh, Arroyo’s Lily Williams and Aneesa Aguon each got on via a single and walk, but College Park pitcher Keira Pfeiffer shut the door by inducing a lineout and getting a strikeout to end the game.
College Park (13-8) will play host to red-hot Granada on Friday, while Arroyo ended its season 9-13.
Division III softball
Encinal 14, Miramonte 4
Encinal’s high-flying Jets soared into the second round of the Division III playoffs by run-ruling Miramonte in a game that, admittedly, was closer than the final score indicated.
The 14 seed Dons put up four runs in the top of the third inning to briefly take a 4-2 lead. Second-seeded Encinal answered with three in the bottom half of the inning.
After the visitors couldn’t answer in the top of the fourth, the hosts from Alameda pulled away after dropping seven in the bottom of fourth.
Encinal senior Riley Chadwick was 2 for 2 with a home run and had a team-high four RBIs, and Jet sophomores Sherrielyn Ferrer and Cameron Tran each had three RBIs.
Encinal, which improved to 21-4, will play host to No. 7 Archie Williams at Lower Washington Park on Friday. Miramonte ended its season 14-8.
Baseball
Division II
No. 6 Livermore 9, No. 11 American Canyon 4
Braeden McRae went 3 for 4 with three RBIs, a double and a home run to lead Livermore past American Canyon in the first round of the North Coast Section Division II playoffs.
The Cowboys built a 4-0 lead going into the fourth inning and didn’t look back.
Livermore junior Jaden Vassallo and sophomore Nico Rodriguez each had a double and RBI.
The Cowboys captured their first playoff win since 2016 on Wednesday. Livermore will play at Ukiah on Friday.
No. 8 Alameda 11, No. 9 Maria Carrillo 6
The Hornets weathered a five-run first inning from the Santa Rosa school and came out on top to advance to the second round of the NCS Division II playoffs.
Alameda scored four runs in the second inning, three in the third and three in the fourth to take a 10-5 late.
Sophomore Parker Nomura was 3 for 4 and had four RBIs for Alameda. Senior Max Cohen totaled two hits, two RBIs and a triple.
Alameda will play top-seeded Cardinal Newman in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
Division IV
No. 10 Hercules 7, No. 7 Fort Bragg 1
Hercules traveled over three hours north and picked up a big win against Fort Bragg in the first round of the NCS Division IV playoffs.
Junior Wynston Bishop and senior Elijah Thomas combined to allow just four hits and one earned run while striking out nine in a stellar pitching performance.
William Hobbs had a double and four RBIs. Bishop was 2 for 2 at the plate and walked twice.
Hercules will travel much closer to home as they will play at Piedmont in the second round on Saturday.
Oakland Section
No. 1 Oakland Tech 8, No. 2 Skyline 3
The Bulldogs won the Oakland Section, beating Oakland Athletic League foe Skyline by five runs.
Sophomore Mike Martin hit 2 for 3 and had a double and an RBI. Junior Jordan Smith had a hit and two RBIs.
Tech pitcher Elias Thompson struck out six in four innings.