Monterey softball beats top seed
WATSONVILLE >> Call it a statement. Or erasing the memories of last year's opening round of the Central Coast Section softball playoffs.
Monterey got a gem in the circle from freshman Ella Myers, while the bats erupted for five runs in the second inning and six in the fifth Saturday to send defending CCS Division I champion and Division II top seed Watsonville home in five innings after an 11-0 decision.
“It was a clean game,” Monterey coach Catherine Elder said. “Our bats showed up. I don't think the kids paid much attention to the seedings.”
Last year Monterey was the top seed in the Division III playoffs and was ousted 10-6 by Woodside in the first round.
The Toreadores will face No. 4 seed Valley Christian — 9-3 winners over Gilroy — on Thursday at 4 p.m. at PAL Stadium in San Jose.
Alison Levin ignited a five-run second inning for Monterey (198) with a two-run double. Among the seven hits during a six-run fifth inning was a two-run double from Kat Manuofetoa.
Jordan Chiewpanich led the assault at the plate for Monterey with three hits, while Gia Roth, Darcy Fisher and Eastin Jennings all had a pair. Myers struck out five in five innings, allowing just three hits.
PACIFIC GROVE 10, SOBRATO 6>> Ava Marshall had four hits as Pacific Grove advanced into the semifinals of the Division IV playoffs, outscoring Sobrato.
Ella Lee picked up the win in the circle for the Cypress Division co-champion Breakers (1610), who snapped a three-game playoff losing streak with their first postseason win since 2018. NOTRE DAME 4, SANTA TERESA 3 >> The Spirits have assured themselves of a spot in the Northern California tournament after opening the Open Division playoffs with a win to advance to the semifinals.
The top four teams in the Open Division, along with the five section champions from the other divisions will be extended an invitation to the first Northern California tournament.
The Gabilan Division champion Spirits will face Mitty of San Jose — 14-1 winners over San Benito — on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at the Salinas Sports Complex. The two teams met in the first week of the sea
son with Mitty prevailing 9-0 win.
Samantha Rocha struck out 14 to pick up the win for Notre Dame. She helped her own cause at the plate with a two-run homer to put them up 2-0. Victoria Rey doubled and drove in two runs, while Addison Amaral collected a triple.
ALVAREZ 5, SEQUOIA 4>> Dani Amendola came in and struck out 11 in six innings of relief as the Eagles advanced to the Division I semifinals with a comefrom-behind win over Sequoia of Redwood City.
Amendola also collected two hits and drove in a run for No. 3 seed Alvarez, which will face No. 7 seed Westmont of Campbell — 1-0 winners over Milpitas — on Thursday at 4 p.m. at Los Gatos High.
Emily Rodgers had three hits and an RBI for the Eagles, while St. Mary'sbound Victoria Castillo chipped in with two hits and drove in a run.
SALINAS 5, NORTH COUNTY 4>> The Cowboys made a five-run third inning stand up in holding off North County in the Division III quarterfinals.
Maria Martorella drove in two runs for Salinas, which is the No. 2 seed. Sydney Juarez added a pair of hits in support of pitchers Ally Forbell and Cassidy Maestri.
North County, which won the CCS Division V title last year and finished second in the Mission Division, ended the year 18-9.
STEVENSON 6, HALF MOON BAY 1>> Claren Wong tossed a two-hitter, striking out 10 as the No. 2 seeded Pirates advanced to the Division V semifinals.
Wong also produced a pair of hits for Stevenson, while Sydney Clymo added two hits and drove in three runs. The Pirates will face Mills of Millbrae on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Los Gatos High.
SOQUEL 14, KING CITY 0>> The Cypress Division co-champions Mustangs appearance in the postseason was brief as they were blanked by Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League co-champion Soquel in the Division III quarterfinals.
Tori Hilton had a pair of hits for No. 4 seed King City, which knocked off Soquel 8-5 back on March 12 in the Monterey Peninsula Tournament.
CARLMONT 7, GONZALES 5>> The Spartans' first-ever postseason appearance saw them succumb to Division III top seed and perennial CCS power Carlmont of Belmont.
Celeste Camarena had two hits and tossed out two runners attempting to steal from behind the plate for Gonzales. Aneessa Sandoval, Bry Perez and Alex Guerrero all had two hits
MERCY-BURLINGAME 12, GREENFIELD 1>> The Santa Lucia champion Bruins' magical season came to a halt as they were eliminated from the Division IV postseason party.
Greenfield was in the playoffs for just the second time in the program's 23-year history and was hosting its first-ever playoff game after finishing the season with a school-record 19 wins.
Baseball
CARMEL 13, SOBRATO 2>> JJ Sanchez ripped a threerun homer and struck out four in four innings as the Padres opened the Division IV playoffs by routing Sobrato of Morgan Hill.
The No. 3 seeded Padres (18-10) also used a grand slam from Jacksen Bartholomew, while George Higbie collected three hits. Alex Harrison and Bobo Iandoli each had two hits, and Jack Cassady drove in a pair.
Marco Digirolamo tossed a shutout inning of relief to close the game for Carmel. The Padres pitching staff has held five of its last six opponents to two runs or less.
“We have three pitchers that are really peaking right now,” Carmel coach Mike Kelly said. “That has been the thing. We've been playing good defense. It's fair to say we're playing our best baseball right now.”
SALINAS 3, WESTMONT 0>> Manny Dorantes tossed a complete game, striking out the side in the seventh as the No. 2 seeded Cowboys blanked Westmont to earn a fourth meeting this year with Carmel in the Division IV semifinals.
Salinas, which dropped two of its three meetings with Carmel in the Gabilan Division, will face them on Wednesday at Sollecito Park at 7 p.m.
Dorantes also had two hits and drove in a run for Salinas, while Nick Rianda added a pair of hits.
SOLEDAD 4, SANTA TERESA 1>> Oregon State-bound Eric Segura flirted with perfection for five innings, before settling on a twohitter as the No. 8 seeded Aztecs took down top seed Santa Teresa of San Jose in the Division IV playoffs.
“A lot of people were called to sacrifice bunt today and no one complained,” Soledad coach Damien Ryan said. “We did a great job of trusting the guy up next. I'm really proud of the team effort.”
After a 25-pitch first inning, Segura needed just 55 pitches over the final six frames to send Santa Teresa packing, striking out eight to pick up the win.
Jorge Olivarria led a balanced attack at the plate with three hits for Soledad (21-7), while Daniel Raso scored a pair of runs. Sacrifice bunts from Dominic Chavez and Andrew Nichols produced a pair of insurance runs.
Soledad will face Mission Division rival St. Francis of Watsonville on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Washington Park in Santa Clara. The two teams split their season series. STEVENSON 2, TERRA NOVA
1>> Rider McCormick's running catch with two outs and two runners on ended the game, giving the Pirates an upset win at No. 4 Terra Nova of Pacifica in the Division VI quarterfinals.
“One of the best defensive plays I've ever seen,” Stevenson coach Nick Wilcox said. “It was a dead sprint. Just a great unbelievable catch.”
Trent Toole struck out seven to get the win and drove in the go-ahead run in the fifth inning. Sean Ishii added a run-scoring single in the third for No. 5 seed Stevenson, which won its first league title in 37 years after going undefeated in the Cypress Division. MONTEREY 3, SANTA CLARA 2>> Nate Wedderburn tossed a four-hitter, striking out six as the Toreadores won their sixth straight game to advance into the semifinals of the Division III playoffs.
Steph Russo doubled home all three of Monterey's runs, while Pablo Sanchez collected two hits and scored a run. The No. 4 seeded Toreadores will face top seed Los Gatos — 8-0 winners over Aragon — on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Sollecito Park.