Twenty San Joaquin County softball teams began the postseason with championship hopes.
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By the end of the single-elimination first round on May 13, more than half had already seen those hopes disappear, leaving just eight teams remaining.
Who’s still alive? Who saw their season end? Which teams made the loudest statement?
Here’s the full breakdown from all 20 county first-round playoff games.
Division I
No. 4 Oak Ridge (12-10) vs. No. 13 Lincoln (13-14); 5-2
Defense proved costly for Lincoln. Lincoln limited Oak Ridge to just five hits, but three costly errors in the third helped fuel a five-run frame that changed the game. First baseman Lailanee Jocson tried to spark the comeback with two RBIs in the next inning, but the damage was too much to erase.
No. 3 Davis Sr. (14-11) vs. No. 14 Mountain House (10-11); 10-0
This one played closer to the rankings. With nearly 300 spots separating the programs in the state rankings, Davis Sr. took control early with a 3-0 lead, then put the game away with a five-run fifth.
No. 2 Sheldon (13-11) vs. No. 18 Edison (18-9); 14-2
One upset was in the books. A second proved too tall a task. After getting through the play-in round and knocking off No. 15 Turlock, Edison ran into a powerhouse in Sheldon, a top-10 Sac-Joaquin Section team and top-75 program in the state, which piled up seven runs in the first three innings before adding seven more in the fourth.
Division II
No. 1 Tracy (23-1); BYE
Second in the Sac-Joaquin Section. Top 20 in California. Top 30 in the nation. Teams with resumes like that don't play in the first round, and Tracy did not have to.
No. 12 St. Francis (11-15) vs. No. 5 Kimball (19-7); 2-0
The 12-over-5 upset is a postseason staple for a reason. Sometimes that No. 12 seed is far better than its record suggests, particularly when it has spent the season in a league where the top three teams all rank among California’s top 35 and the Sac-Joaquin Section’s top seven. That was St. Francis, whose battle-tested schedule showed against Kimball. After five scoreless innings, the Troubadours broke through with one run in the sixth and another in the seventh to pull off the upset.
No. 4 Elk Grove (24-4) vs. No. 13 St. Mary's (17-11); 11-0
A roster with just one senior and 15 underclassmen held up well against plenty of teams this season. Against the true heavyweights, though, that youth was harder to hide. Delta League champion Elk Grove, ranked among California’s top 30, became the latest example, using four scoring innings to end St. Mary’s run.
No. 6 Merced (19-3) vs. No. 11 Lodi (13-10-1); 6-5
This one went back and forth. Merced took a 3-0 lead in the third, Lodi answered with two runs, Merced answered with one. Then, behind three runs in the fifth, Lodi took a 5-4 lead. Home field advantage showed in the sixth as Merced scored two runs. For Lodi, all but one of its runs came by capitalizing on Merced’s errors, with second baseman Isabella Pantoja accounting for the Flames’ lone RBI.
Division III
No. 1 Destiny Christian Academy (24-0) vs. No. 16 Bear Creek (16-7); 16-1
Some results need little explanation. Destiny Christian came in as the top-ranked team in the Sac-Joaquin Section and No. 16 in California according to MaxPreps, and looked every bit the part.
No. 5 Dixon (13-8) vs. No. 12 Sierra (7-10); 12-2
For a moment, Sierra had belief. First baseman Genyssa Rodriguez opened the game with a home run to center, and after the Timberwolves battled back to tie it in the third, the upset felt possible. Dixon erased that quickly, erupting for six runs in the bottom half to take control for good.
No. 4 Manteca (16-8) vs. No. 13 Buhach Colony (14-11); 17-0
Six in the second. Eleven in the third. Manteca left no doubt. All three home runs came during the third-inning explosion, as catcher Lauren Moncada started it with a solo shot, third baseman Na’ima Calderon launched a three-run blast in the middle of the rally and shortstop Maleiah Garza finished it with a two-run homer. Finished it literally — the game was called.
Division IV
No. 9 Pioneer (15-12) vs. No. 8 East Union (14-12); 4-3
Disaster struck late for East Union. Clinging to a 3-1 lead entering the seventh, the Lancers watched Pioneer push across three runs to flip the game. A final opportunity remained in the bottom half, but it disappeared quickly with three straight outs.
No. 3 Oakdale (13-9) vs. No. 14 Placer (8-11), 11-1
A balanced lineup made quick work of this one. Oakdale got RBIs from eight different hitters, with second baseman Saige Everett setting the pace by going a perfect 4-for-4 with an RBI.
No. 2 Central Catholic (19-8) vs. No. 15 Lathrop (15-8-1); 13-3
Another county team ran into the VOL’s best. Central Catholic handled business the way it had all season, but Lathrop freshman Avaihna Calderon still gave the Spartans something to build on, finishing 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
Division V
No. 4 Liberty Ranch (14-8) vs. No. 13 Woodland (6-14); 18-0
Six RBIs from San Diego State commit Bella Granata. Three from first baseman Shelby Duarte. Four players with at least two RBIs. Liberty Ranch’s offense didn't exactly leave much suspense.
No. 3 Sutter (18-8-1) vs. No. 14 Galt (8-15); 10-0
What once looked like a steady .500 campaign quickly spiraled. Remove the forfeit win, and Galt closed the season with eight straight losses.
No. 11 Lincoln (14-12-1) vs. No. 6 Ripon (17-8); 10-3
The classic 11-over-6 upset struck again. Just like a pair of county baseball teams experienced, the most common March Madness-style postseason surprise showed up here too, as Ripon watched a 2-0 lead after two innings disappear during Lincoln’s six-run third.
No. 7 Escalon (11-11) vs. No. 10 Woodland Christian (15-8); 11-0
That early 1-9 record feels like a different season. With Arizona commit Madison Babasa and UC Riverside commit Arianna Velasco back in the lineup after basketball, plus Babasa returning from injury, Escalon has turned into one of the area’s hottest teams at 11-2. That continued here, as Velasco went 2-for-2 with three RBIs, Babasa added an RBI, and catcher Addi Lopez knocked in three runs.
Division VI
No. 3 Linden (17-6) vs. No. 14 Colfax (7-9); 16-0
Need the summary? Start with the fourth inning. Linden hung 10 runs in the frame and turned this into a rout. University of the Pacific commit Olivia Fears went a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBIs, while first baseman Audrey Pitt and third baseman Natalie McCann matched her with three RBIs each.
No. 7 Ben Holt College Prep Academy (19-7) vs. No. 10 WSCA (6-4); 14-0
If there was any question about why The Record made room for Ben Holt College Prep Academy in this coverage, this was the answer.
Division VII
No. 6 Golden Sierra (8-9) vs. No. 11 Millennium (3-10); 1-0 (FF)
No game was needed here. Golden Sierra advanced by forfeit after Millennium was unable to play, though the reason was not immediately clear.
No. 2 Elliot Christian (8-3) vs. No. 15 Valley Christian (1-9), 15-5
If there was any question about why The Record made room for Elliot Christian in this coverage, this was the answer.
This article originally appeared on The Record: San Joaquin County softball playoffs: First-round recap and results