BRENTWOOD – After Heritage pitcher Delia Scott set California down in order to start Wednesday’s North Coast Section Division I semifinal, fellow senior Xiara Diaz wasted no time getting the Patriots off to a strong start offensively and Heritage rolled from there to the 10-0 victory over the Grizzlies.
Diaz took a two-strike offering from Cal pitcher Lainey Hanehan over the left-field fence for a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first. The Patriots added to their quick lead in the bottom of the first when Morgan Hess reached on an infield single in the next at-bat, advanced to second on a ground out and scored on freshman Tianna Bell’s single to right field. The ball then scooted under the glove of the Cal right fielder, which allowed Bell to race around to third base. When Juju Sargent’s ground ball to third base resulted in a throwing error, Bell scored easily to make the score 3-0 after one inning.
California threatened in the top of the second, getting runners to second and third, but Scott struck out Natalie Depasquale to end the threat and keep the Grizzlies off the board. Two great defensive plays for California, from right fielder Geneva Norton and shortstop Amanda Robman, prevented Heritage from scoring in the second inning, but Bell opened up the bottom of the third inning by slicing a ball opposite field, down the right field line. When the ball skipped into the back corner, Bell was waved all the way around for an inside-the-park home run and a 4-0 lead.
Another quiet inning for the Grizzlies in the top of the fourth led to the final offensive explosion of the day for Heritage, in the bottom of the fourth. Lyndsey Burrow led off the inning with a soft bunt for an infield single, and Diaz then smashed a rise ball to straight-away center field for a two-run homer, her second of the game.
“I wasn’t expecting it, but it feels amazing to hit two home runs in a big game like this,” Diaz said. “I’m just so proud of my team and our ability to come out today and make it to the championship game.”
Back-to-back walks then set the table for Bell, who drove in another run with her double that nearly cleared the fence in left field. Sargent followed with an RBI ground ball up the middle to make the score 8-0, and Kortney Marquez added a sacrifice fly to score Bell. Two batters later, Izabel Ordaz laid down a bunt with runners on the corners and one out, scoring Sargent from third.
California senior Sydney Frankenberger finished her illustrious high school career with a two-out single in the top of the fifth, but Scott ended the game early by getting Robman to ground out to short.
Heritage now advances to face Foothill in the title game, Saturday at Diablo Valley College. The Patriots have faced Foothill in each of the last four years in the post-season, having fallen to the Falcons in three straight semifinals before this season.
Foothill rolls past Amador Valley
Nicole May’s two-run single and a three-run home run by Ellen Ebbers got things started quickly for Foothill on Wednesday afternoon against EBAL rival Amador Valley, and the Falcons cruised to the 11-1 victory.
After May and Ebbers both delivered in the bottom of the first, Caelin Cavanaugh added a run-scoring double and then scored on a bunt by Amanda Mero. When May’s ground ball for the second out of the inning scored Mero, Foothill led 8-0 after one inning.
Cavanaugh wound up 4-for-4 with two RBIs for Foothill, while Hope Alley went 3-for-3 and both Ebbers and Gianna Lyng had two hits. May scattered two hits in her five-inning stint in the circle.
Antioch holds off Alhambra
For the first time in the post-season, Antioch did not make coach Nick Wisely hold his breath waiting for a game-winning hit. This time, the Panthers took an early lead over Alhambra and then held off the Bulldogs for the 4-2 victory and a berth in the NCS Division II title game.
Antioch took an early 2-0 lead on Mariah Gomez’s two-run single with two outs in the top of the first inning, and pushed the lead back to two runs in the top of the fourth, when Haley Painter drove in Gomez with her two-out single, part of a three-hit day for Painter.
Alhambra trimmed the lead to one run again in the bottom of the fourth, on Sarah Shepherd’s double to right field, but the Panthers got an insurance run in the top of the sixth, stringing together three straight singles to start the inning, capped by Jazmin Alanis’ bunt to score Kylie Ross.
Bailee Reed went the distance in the circle for Antioch, striking out 11 and retiring the final nine batters she faced.
Antioch will face either Bishop O’Dowd or Newark Memorial in the section championship game.
Marin Catholic, Sonoma Valley roll into D3 title game
Junior Kennedy Midgley struck out nine and allowed just one hit in six innings, leading Sonoma Valley past two-seed Moreau Catholic, 10-0, and into the NCS Division III title game.
Fellow junior Ally Alcayaga homered twice and drove in four runs for the Dragons, who also got a three-hit performance from her sister Abby, which included a double and a triple. Midgley helped her own cause by going 2-for-4 with two RBIs at the plate.
Sonoma Valley will face top seed Marin Catholic, which stormed past last year’s Division IV champion, St. Joseph Notre Dame, 10-0. The Wildcats won their 22nd straight game, getting two doubles and a deep home run from standout Julia Scardina. Sophomore Annabel Teperson scattered six hits in the circle and struck out 12 for the win.
St. Patrick-St. Vincent holds off Saint Mary’s
Oregon-bound senior Deijah Pangilinan had two hits and scored twice, helping lead St. Patrick-St. Vincent into the Division IV title game, where the Bruins will face either McKinleyville or Cardinal Newman.
St. Pat’s had to hold off a late charge from eight-seed Saint Mary’s for the 6-5 victory, after the Panthers scored three times in the top of the sixth. Caili Anderson went 3-for-4 for the Panthers, while Reyna Heredia and Alexa Vergil added two hits each.
St. Vincent de Paul to host Hoopa Valley for title
Alyssa Smith and Sarah Sarlatte had two hits each, helping St. Vincent de Paul build a five-run lead before holding off a late Clear Lake rally for the 5-3 victory in the Division V semifinals.
Smith scored twice and Sarlatte was one of four Mustangs to drive in runs during the first three innings, giving freshman pitcher Sophia Skubic a nice lead to work with. Skubic struck out six and kept the Cardinals off the board for the first six innings, before allowing three unearned runs in the top of the seventh.
St. Vincent de Paul will now host Hoopa Valley for the section title on Saturday, after Hoopa defeated Credo, 4-2.
