NCS, CCS championships: Amador Valley shakes off dramatic HR, wins softball title in extras
NCS softball
Division I
Amador Valley was ready to celebrate.
The Dons needed just one more out on Saturday to put the finishing touch on a masterful pitching performance and a fifth section title in program history.
But there was a delay in the coronation.
College Park’s Abby Wood followed a two-out walk with a two-run homer over the left-field fence at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, extending the North Coast Section Division I final to extra innings.
Staggered but not out, Amador Valley answered in the top of the eighth as Lauren Tran stroked a two-out single to right to drive in Madison Notari with what turned out to be the decisive run.
Final: Amador Valley 3, College Park 2.
The Dons celebrated their first NCS championship since 2018 and fifth overall, all in Division I.
Kaylee Davis was sensational in the pitcher’s circle for Amador Valley. She worked all eight innings, striking out 11 with just one walk. She also started the winning rally with a single before Notari courtesy ran for her.
In the bottom of the eighth, Davis retired third-seeded College Park in order, retiring the final batter on a pop up to first base.
On April 29, College Park routed Amador Valley 16-3, but Davis did not pitch.
With the Amador Valley ace in the circle on Saturday, runs were much harder for College Park to find.
Meanwhile, Amador Valley jumped out in front two batters into the game when Emmerson Giles slugged a home run to left for a 1-0 lead.
The Dons widened the margin to 2-0 when Mai Falcone scored on Taylor Oxe’s sacrifice fly to right in the sixth.
College Park opened the bottom of the seventh with a single. But a double play emptied the bases, putting Amador Valley on the cusp of victory.
Jessica Delatorre walked and then Wood unloaded, igniting a College Park celebration that the Falcons hoped would lead to their second NCS title and first in 23 years.
But it wasn’t to be.
Amador Valley, which had lost five of six entering the playoffs, completed a run that also included wins over Heritage in the first round, James Logan in the quarterfinals and top-seeded California in the semifinals.
The Dons improved to 16-11. College Park is 15-9.
CCS softball
Division III
No. 4 Everett Alvarez 1, No. 2 Santa Teresa 0
Amaris Perez singled home Lizbeth Ramirez with two out in the fifth to break up a scoreless pitchers’ duel and Alvarez made the run stand up in a victory over Santa Teresa in the CCS Division III championship game Saturday at San Jose City College.
It was the third CCS consecutive title for Alvarez and the second in a row over Santa Teresa.
Alvarez pitcher Dani Amendola threw a two-hit shutout with no walks and seven strikeouts. Santa Teresa pitcher Mariah Avalos was nearly as good, tossing a four-hitter, also with zero walks and seven strikeouts.
Santa Teresa finished 16-14.
“We’ve had a lot of highs and a lot of lows this season,” Santa Teresa coach Michaela Motch said. “They’ve been super resilient. To get here after having a real hard middle of our season is phenomenal. They worked real hard, they lifted each other up in moments of frustration. It was a real impressive comeback for them this season.”
Division IV
No. 4 Aragon 11, No. 3 Christopher 0
Aragon scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back as the Dons run-ruled Christopher and captured the CCS Division IV championship at West Valley College on Saturday.
“We didn’t think it was possible, but we made it possible,” senior Rae D’Amato said.
The seniors showed out for the Dons. D’Amato was 2 for 2 with two RBIs, and pitcher Are Makropoulos was 1 for 4 with an RBI, and Caroline Harger was 2 for 3 with two RBIs.
Alyssa Farrow had Christopher’s only hit as the Cougars ended the year 15-10.
After losing three of their last four league games, Aragon caught fire and defeated Mills, Los Altos and then Christopher to clinch coach Lizabeth Roscoe’s first CCS title.
Although the Dons qualified for NorCal as a section winner, the team has decided to pass on regional play. The coach and her players said the school’s graduation would happen during Tuesday’s opener, and that the team’s six seniors all have other obligations.
“They decided that with their graduation next week, they wanted to end on a high note,” Roscoe said.
NCS baseball
Division III
No. 2 San Marin 6, No. 4 Campolindo 0
Blake Robison and Jack Luster accounted for Campolindo’s only two hits as the Cougars came up short against San Marin in the NCS Division III final at College of Marin.
Cole Chamberlain had two hits, including a home run, and three RBIs and Sean McGrath pitched a complete game with six strikeouts as San Marin captured its seventh NCS crown.
San Marin is 22-8. Campo slipped to 15-13.
Division IV
No. 4 Justin-Siena 11, No. 2 Piedmont 1 (5 innings)
Dimitri Papahadjopoulos’ RBI put Piedmont in front by a run after the first inning.
The score did not change again until the top of the third. Once it did, this NCS Division IV final at Laney College was all Justin-Siena as the Braves scored seven in the third and four in the fourth.
With Piedmont unable to push across any more runs, the game ended after five innings because of the mercy rule.
Justin-Siena improved to 17-9. Piedmont fell to 17-9.