MEET THE TOP TEAM: LIBERTY
In a area as proficient because the North Coast Part’s Division I bracket, Liberty has separated itself as the highest crew heading into the playoffs.
The Lions gained 12 straight video games to finish the common season and captured the Bay Valley Athletic League title with ease as they outscored their league opponents 131-10 throughout 10 video games. Liberty (20-4, 10-0) additionally has non-league wins over Granada, Faculty Park, Castro Valley, Archbishop Mitty and California.
Now, the Brentwood faculty might be trying to win its first NCS title since 1997.
Weber State-bound junior Kaitlyn Macias has had a monster season. She leads Liberty in batting common (.516), on-base share (.548), slugging share (1.063) and RBIs (35). Within the circle, she’s been simply as dominant as she boasts a 0.88 ERA and is undefeated by means of 5 begins.
Macias has fashioned a dynamic pitching duo with Illinois State commit Kate Skinner. The junior totaled 158 strikeouts by means of 16 begins this season with an ERA of 1.67.
Gifted hitters reminiscent of Isabella Rice, Taylor Jennings and Madison Tuttle spherical out a lineup that averages 8.5 runs per recreation.
Since solely had 14 groups certified for the Division I playoffs, Liberty together with No. 2 seed Livermore has an opening-round bye. The Lions will play the winner of a first-round recreation between Classic and San Marin within the quarterfinals.
Liberty Excessive pitcher Kate Skinner (12) threw seven innings and pitched a 9-0 shutout towards Dublin Excessive throughout their NCS softball playoff win at Liberty Excessive Faculty in Brentwood, Calif., on Tuesday, Could 14, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Space Information Group)
TOP STORYLINES
A possible Livermore-Granada second-round matchup may occur ought to the Matadors upset No. 7 seed Alameda on the highway. The crosstown rivals cut up their two-game sequence this spring, with Livermore defeating Granada 4-1 within the East Bay Athletic League regular-season finale. … In Division II, the bracket’s high three groups – Cardinal Newman, Carondelet and James Logan – all obtained byes into the second spherical. Carondelet received scorching in league play, successful the EBAL’s regular-season title. The younger crew is led by all-league sophomore Angela Gates, who leads Carondelet in batting common (.508), residence runs (three) and slugging share (.862). … After successful the Diablo Athletic League Foothill Division crown, Clayton Valley will host San Ramon Valley regardless of being the decrease seed. The Ugly Eagles gained 9 of their final 11 video games to finish the common season. San Ramon Valley is searching for its first-ever NCS title. … Final 12 months’s Division I champion, Amador Valley, didn’t qualify for this 12 months’s NCS playoffs. The Dons got here out of nowhere to win an NCS and NorCal Division I title final season, however didn’t have a .500 document general, in league play or of their base division this spring. They wanted to be .500 in simply a kind of classes to qualify … Below this 12 months’s new format, the committee relied on the MaxPreps rankings to find out a lot of the seeding for every division. However since there isn’t a Open Division, groups have been solely allowed to maneuver up two brackets increased than their base enrollment divisions. … Just like the baseball playoffs, 9 groups will make the regional playoffs. The winners and runners-up in Division I and II, all champions in Divisions III by means of VI and the winner of the Division I third-place recreation will punch their ticket to the NorCal playoffs.
Livermore pitcher Laine Macosky (12) throws towards Foothill Excessive within the second inning of a softball recreation at Foothill Excessive Faculty in Pleasanton, Calif., on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
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WHO CAN MAKE A SURPRISE RUN?
Alameda is getting scorching on the proper time. The Hornets shocked Castro Valley within the West Alameda County Convention Foothill Division ultimate and completed the common season successful 5 of its ultimate six video games. Sophomore standout Mia Wong and senior captain Aaliyah Soderlund lead a proficient lineup that totaled 56 extra-base hits. Alameda will host Granada on Wednesday. … Benicia made it to the Division II semifinals final 12 months and obtained the fifth seed in the identical division this 12 months. The Panthers completed third within the DAL Foothill, however notched spectacular wins over Granada, Carondelet, San Ramon Valley and Alhambra. Benicia will host Fortuna on Wednesday. … Piedmont gained the WACC Shoreline Division regular-season crown, however a loss to Mt. Eden within the league match ultimate bumped the Highlanders right down to the eleventh seed in Division V. Nonetheless, Piedmont has the expertise to make a run. Miya Fujimoto leads Piedmont in nearly each offensive stat class and can seemingly be the driving drive behind a deep playoff run. Piedmont travels to Fremont to play the California Faculty for the Deaf in its first spherical recreation on Tuesday.
Benicia’s Emma French leaps to catch a high-thrown ball and manages to tag Deja Montgomery as she tries to steal second base through the Panther’s 10-0 win within the sixth inning of the 2024 North Coast Part Softball playoffs on Friday. (Chris Riley/Occasions-Herald)
