Analy and El Molino High School softball teams will start the season anew this week when they take the field in their respective North Coast Section playoff tournaments.
Both teams were awarded postseason berths by virtue of outstanding North Bay League seasons, with the Lions finishing second in the Redwood Division while the Tigers held down third place in the Oak Division.
At the time of this writing, No. 12 El Molino (12-10) was preparing to visit No. 5 St. Patrick/St. Vincent (15-6) on Tuesday, May 14, in an opening round NCS Division 4 match-up in Vallejo, with No. 4 Salesian awaiting the winner in the quarterfinals on May 18 (date and time TBD).
Meanwhile, No.10 seeded Analy (10-12-1) will travel to No. 7 Acalanes (18-3) on May 14, with the winner advancing to play the survivor of No. 2 Moreau Catholic versus No. 15 Hayward in the quarterfinals (date and time TBD).
Teams compete in NBL tourney
Last week, the Lions and Tigers each advanced to the title game in their respective NBL Redwood and Oak Division playoff tournaments.
Second seeded El Molino opened the NBL tourney on May 7 against No. 3 Santa Rosa, riding the strong arm of freshman hurler Katelynn Tourady (7 IP, 10 hits, 7 ERs, 11 Ks) en route to a 14-8 win. Pacing the Lions’ 18-hit attack were Tourady (3 for 4, 2 runs, 3 RBIs), Erika Olson (3 for 4, 3 runs, 2 RBIs), Natalie Alberigi (3 for 5, 2 runs), Kiara Garcia (2 for 4, HR, run, RBI), Bridget Niclaes (2 for 4, 2 runs, 3 RBIs), Bella Gaab (2 for 4, 2 runs), Madi Hodgdon (1 for 4, run, RBI), Ahnicka Kjaer (1 for 4, run) and Grace St. Marie (1 for 4, 2 runs).
El Mo traveled to face a red-hot Cardinal Newman team in Thursday’s tourney title tilt at Santa Rosa Junior College, as the top-seeded Cardinals neutralized the Lions’ bats in a 10-0 win in five innings. Tourady (4 IP, 6 hits, ER, K) took the loss while Olson (1 for 2) collected the lone hit for the Lions off of Newman pitcher Annalise Talafili.
Tigers advance to title game
Analy played one of its best games of the season in the May 7 NBL playoff tourney at Windsor, benefiting from an outstanding outing from sophomore hurler Olivia Franceschi (7 IP, 12 hits, 2 ERs, K). The Tigers pushed across three runs in the fourth and another pair in the sixth en route to a 5-3 victory. Top hitters were Leah Lawrence (2 for 3, run, RBI), Brea Lawrence (2 for 4, 2 runs, RBI), Makayla Kraemer (2 for 4, RBI), Samantha Caughie (2 for 4, run), Carson Rasmussen (1 for 4, run), Cameron Cordoza (1 for 4), Chloe Hadrich (1 for 4) and Franceschi (1 for 3, RBI).
The win set up a NBL Oak Division title clash at No. 1 Rancho Cotate, as the Cougars busted open a 3-0 ballgame in a five-run sixth on their way to an 8-1 victory. Franceschi (6 IP, 9 hits, 8 ERs, 2 Ks) took the loss while leading hitters were Caitlin Caughie (2 for 2, RBI), Rasmussen (1 for 3), Cordoza (1 for 4), Brea Lawrence (1 for 3) and Leah Lawrence (1 for 3, run).
