Here is a brief look at the CCS Division 1 softball semifinals:
No. 3 Aptos vs No. 7 Alisal
Tuesday 6:30 pm
Hollister High School
How they got here: Aptos blasted Palo Alto 10-0 in five innings. Junior Mya Najera-White went the distance, allowing just two hits and striking out four and junior Nova Neu provided all the offense the Mariners needed with two hits, including a home run, and three RBIs.
Alisal was tied with Piedmont Hills 0-0 through five innings before erupting for two in the fifth and six in the seventh for an 8-1 win. Neveah Lopez, Chloe Ruvalcaba and Brooklyn Smith each drove in two runs to back the four-hit pitching of Abigail Walker, who struck out nine, walked none and didn’t allow an earned run.
Previous meetings: None.
Outlook: Walker has been phenomenal for the PCAL-Mission co-champ Trojans, going 8-2 with a 0.48 ERA. She has formed a strong 1-2 punch with Lopez, who is 9-2 with a 1.39 ERA. Najera-White has been the primary pitcher for Aptos, which went undefeated in the SCCAL.
No. 1 San Mateo vs No. 4 Hillsdale
Wednesday 6:30 pm
Capuchino High School
How they got here: Top-seeded San Mateo defeated PAL-Bay rival Aragon 4-1, scoring three runs in the first inning and holding on despite 10 hits from the Dons. Junior Celia Hernandez went the distance for the 10-hitter and racking up seven strikeouts with no walks. Sophomore Aliyah Scheller drove in all the runs with a three-run HR in the first and an RBI single in the third.
Hillsdale scored five runs in the first inning and cruised to a 12-2 win over Wilcox in the first round. Senior Mia DeMartini went 4-for-5 with a home run, double and five RBIs and junior Lola Jones pitched six innings, allowing no earned runs with four strikeouts.
Previous meetings: These two teams tied for the regular-season PAL-Bay title; San Mateo won both regular-season meetings, 8-6 on April 9 at Hillsdale and 6-5 on May 5 at San Mateo.
Outlook: The old adage about having to beat a team three times comes into play as San Mateo went 2-0 vs. Hillsdale in the regular season despite tying for the league championship.
