PLEASANT HILL – Alhambra sophomore Hailey Powers was on the lookout for a pitch down the center as she led off the underside of a tied seventh inning of the North Coast Part Division III softball championship recreation at Diablo Valley School on Saturday afternoon.
After fouling off San Leandro’s first providing, she bought what she wished along with her second lefthanded swing.
The ball reduce by way of the blisteringly scorching air and landed over the fence to present the Powers’ Bulldogs the part crown with a walk-off 7-6 victory.
She trotted across the bases feeling a mix of elation and bewilderment after hitting the primary residence run of her highschool profession.
“I was in shock,” Powers stated. “I didn’t think I could hit it over.”
PLEASANT HILL — Alhambra gamers encompass Hailey Powers (8) at residence plate after she hit a walk-off residence run. Alhambra defeated San Leandro 7-6 within the North Coast Part Division III championship recreation on Saturday, Could 31, 2025 at Diablo Valley School in Nice Hill (Joseph Dycus/Bay Space Information Group)
Watching from the dugout, senior ace Willa Adler’s had zero doubt that her second baseman would come by way of within the largest second.
“She’s an incredible player,” Adler stated. “She 100% could hit that home run. She’s got it.”
As soon as Powers touched residence plate, it was time to have a good time.
“The adrenaline was so high, that I was sprinting out of the dugout as soon as I saw the ball (leave the bat),” Alhambra senior Mia Brady stated.
The blast put away a feisty, never-say-die San Leandro squad that gave Alhambra every little thing it might deal with.
Trailing 6-3 within the high of the seventh inning, San Leandro’s Isabella Lopez Puertas bought one run throughout on a groundout to first. Then, Jade Orta’s floor ball reduce the deficit to only one when extra Alhambra gaffes within the subject allowed a pair of runners to come back throughout.
Lastly, Marina Sacrey tied the sport at 6-6 on a pointy line drive to left.
The Eleventh-seeded Pirates had taken down No. 6 Moreau Catholic 14-4, No. 3 Arroyo 4-3 and No. 2 Maria Carrillo 11-10 to succeed in the ultimate, and was three outs away from forcing further innings towards the Bulldogs.
Whereas Powers’ residence run shut the door on San Leandro’s goals of a primary NCS title, coach Kelsi Thomas targeted on the willpower that bought them to the brink of incomes championship {hardware}.
“Our team is just full of grit and determination,” Thomas stated. “I think that showed in the top of the seventh.”
PLEASANT HILL — An Alhambra participant congratulates teammate Hailey Powers (8) after she hit a game-winning walk-off residence run. Alhambra defeated San Leandro 7-6 within the North Coast Part Division III championship recreation on Saturday, Could 31, 2025 at Diablo Valley School in Nice Hill (Joseph Dycus/Bay Space Information Group)
Her Pirates took an early 2-0 lead when Sacrey smoked a pitch over the middle subject wall, however Alhambra answered when Juliana Carranza drove in Brady on a double and reduce the deficit to 2-1.
Alhambra took management within the lead within the fourth when Nichaela West doubled one runner residence and Corina Griffone turned a bunt right into a two-run little-league homer because of a number of San Leandro errors.
“I told the girls that this game was a microcosm of our whole season,” Alhambra coach Adam McLane stated. “We battled back, jumped on top, let them right back into it, but then found a way at the end to put it away.”
Payton Radke drove in a single run for Alhambra within the backside of the fifth, and San Leandro senior Camryn Gilbert responded within the high of the sixth with an RBI single.
It set the stage for a dramatic seventh inning that culminated in Alhambra’s sixth NCS title, and first since finishing a Division II three-peat from 2014-16.
Powers and Angelina Lopez every had two hits for Alhambra (17-10), and Adler struck out seven in a whole recreation. Sacrey had three hits and RBI for San Leandro, which ended the season 21-8.
PLEASANT HILL — Alhambra softball group poses with the NCS D-III trophy and pennant. Alhambra defeated San Leandro 7-6 within the North Coast Part Division III championship recreation on Saturday, Could 31, 2025 at Diablo Valley School in Nice Hill (Joseph Dycus/Bay Space Information Group)
The Bulldogs won’t be competing within the NorCal event that begins subsequent week. With Alhambra’s commencement scheduled on the similar time a second-round matchup on Thursday can be, the group determined to finish the season at sectional play.
For seniors corresponding to Adler and Brady, hoisting an NCS trophy and pennant is the proper method to conclude their highschool careers.
“Coming into NCS, we were all like, ‘This is our last thing’,” Brady stated. “We put it all out there on the field.”
PLEASANT HILL — Alhambra softball group poses with the NCS pennant and trophy after the sport. Alhambra defeated San Leandro 7-6 within the North Coast Part Division III championship recreation on Saturday, Could 31, 2025 at Diablo Valley School in Nice Hill (Joseph Dycus/Bay Space Information Group)
