CCS Softball Playoff Preview (Open Division- Division 2)
Open Division
All games Saturday 5/18
No. 8 Carlmont at No. 1 Saint Francis (11:00 am)
No. 5 Willow Glen at No. 4 Hillsdale (11:00 am)
No. 6 Los Gatos at No. 3 Archbishop Mitty (11:00 am)
No. 7 Gilroy at No. 2 Hollister (1:00 pm)
Best first-round matchup: Willow Glen-Hillsdale. There is not much separating these two teams. Willow Glen was co-champ in the BVAL-Mount Hamilton with a 14-2 record while Hillsdale, despite finishing second behind Carlmont, earned the higher seed by virtue of a 23-4 overall record. Sure enough, the two teams met April 20 with the Rams holding off a four-run Hillsdale rally in the seventh inning to prevail 5-4. In that game, Willow Glen sophomore Alanna Clincy struck out 11 over just five innings of work. She finished the regular season with a 13-5 mark, 1.08 ERA and 176 strikeouts in 104 innings.
Projected champ: Saint Francis over Archbishop Mitty
Division 1
All games Saturday 5/18
No. 8 Notre Dame-Salinas at No. 1 The King’s Academy (11:00 am)
No. 4 Salinas at No. 5 Ann Sobrato (11:00 am)
No. 6 Watsonville at No. 3 Monterey, Jack’s Park (11:00 am)
No. 7 Branham at No. 2 Gunn (4:00 pm)
Best first-round matchup: Branham-Gunn. It is always intriguing when a dominant “B” Division champ like Gunn (23-1) faces off with a top-notch program from a strong “A” league like Branham (18-9, 11-5, 3rd BVAL-Mount Hamilton). While the Bruins fell short in their quest for a league title, they played the top teams tough, splitting with both Willow Glen and Gilroy. Branham is led by seniors Abigail Fales (.419 AVG/.521 OBP/.743 SLG, 1.264 OPS) and Alexis Bojorquez-Nava (.407/.476/.714, 1.190) and primary pitcher Jacqueline Connolly-Hojas (14-9, 2.68 ERA). Gunn, which has played just four “A” league teams all season, is led by junior Tess Bogart (.617/.667/.925, 1.593 OPS, 46 RBIs).
Projected champ: Branham over The King’s Academy
Division 2
All games Saturday 5/18
No. 8 Aptos at No. 1 Valley Christian (1:00 pm)
No. 5 Scotts Valley at No. 4 Milpitas (4:00 pm)
No. 6 Mountain View at No. 3 Lincoln (11:00 am)
No. 7 Saratoga at No. 2 Capuchino (10:00 am)
Best first-round matchup: Mountain View-Lincoln
Projected champ: Valley Christian over Capuchino
