High school softball: Sac-Joaquin Section playoff preview

The Sac-Joaquin Section high school softball playoffs begin Tuesday at home sites in seven divisions, representing the smallest school, Valley Christian (Roseville) at 119 students, to Lincoln (Stockton) with 2,970 students, and everything in between.

All seven defending champions return to the 2023 playoffs. Four title winners from the 2022 season were one-seeds. Vista del Lago (Folsom), a four-seed, was the lowest seed as the Eagles knocked off two-seed Central Catholic (Modesto) 7-5 in the D3 finals.

Below, we provide a preview of each division.
Division 1
Defending champion: Sheldon (Sacramento)

D1 features seven league champions and eight teams that finished the regular season inside the Top 25. This bracket is tough to predict as several teams have the potential to emerge as section champions.

Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) secured the top seed after finishing as the Delta League champs with a 22-6 record. Madeline Lawson has had a sensational sophomore season as the Eagles' ace has 188 strikeouts with an 0.96 ERA in 116 innings.

Granite Bay is on the other side of the brackets and the Grizzlies feature Santa Clara commit Avery Seva, one of the toughest pitchers in the section to beat. She helped power Granite Bay to a Sierra Foothill League title.

Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) is another SFL team and a program on the rise. The Trojans had a league record of 2-28 over the past two seasons. However, this group of young talented players finished 10-5 in league play, one game out of first. They have shown the ability to compete against anyone.

Enochs (Modesto), the CCAL champions, have Natalie Camarena on the mound. She has mowed down 147 batters and she can swing a bat as well. The Eagles have wins over Inderkum, Gregori and Lincoln, all of whom are in the D1 bracket.

Inderkum (Sacramento) is a team that shouldn't be underestimated. Rylei Trujillo and Samantha Stoll are both future Division 1 collegiate pitchers who can also provide some power at the plate. Folsom is no easy task to face in the first round.

Franklin (Elk Grove) was the hottest team to start the season. Although the Wildcats lost three of their last four games, they have a lineup that can compete with any team.

Our sleeper team is Tracy. They drew the seven-seed but have a resume that proves they can beat anyone. They have impressive wins over Central Catholic, Inderkum, Kimball, and were TCAL champions.

Gregori (Modesto) and Sheldon  is a game to watch in Round 1.

Division 2
Defending champion: Del Oro (Loomis)

D2 has seven league champions and five teams that finished in the Top 25. This bracket features a mix of teams that have shown they can beat anyone, including the hottest team in the section, Vacaville.

The Bulldogs fell to Pleasant Grove 7-3 in their season opener but have since won 26 consecutive games. Xochitl Atayde is the definition of a workhorse, pitching 121 innings and striking out 183 batters. San Jose State commit Makayla Freshour has hit six home runs.

Whitney (Rocklin) has shown this season it can be the top team in any bracket. The Wildcats boast one of the strongest lineups with a combined 17 home runs. Junior Hannah Duncan is a strong presence in the circle.

After the top two seeds, the bracket becomes a toss-up. Coach Gomez's St. Mary's (Stockton) Rams tied for the TCAL championship but fell to D2 due to Tracy holding the tiebreaker. Alyssa Garcia has been stellar at the plate for St. Mary's, batting .525 with six home runs.

St. Francis (Sacramento) has had an up-and-down season with a 14-12 record, but has been battle-tested in the Delta League and have secured impressive wins over Del Oro and Woodcreek.

The CVC co-league champions, Woodcreek (Roseville), possess a tough lineup to contain. It starts at the top with Maliyah Lawson, who brings speed and wreaks havoc for any team. The Timberwolves have been involved in some tough, close games, which have prepared them for postseason play.

Del Oro has been one of the most unpredictable teams this year. While the Golden Eagles have more losses than wins, they have managed to secure some impressive victories. Del Oro has beaten Whitney twice, claimed a win over Granite Bay and emerged victorious against Elk Grove early in the season. They are undoubtedly a wild card in this bracket.

Elk Grove, despite being a seventh seed, should not be underestimated. The Thundering Herd concluded the season with a remarkable 2-1 victory over Pleasant Grove.

Division 3
Defending champion: Vista del Lago

D3 will witness six league champions and eight teams that finished within the Top 25. This loaded bracket includes MaxPreps preseason No. 1 team Central Catholic as the top seed. Additionally, Vista del Lago returns to defend its title, occupying the third seed. This postseason run may be the toughest one yet.

Central Catholic's Randi Roelling has struck out an impressive 281 batters. The Cal commit leads the in the entire state. The Lady Raiders also possess a strong hitting lineup, with a combined 21 home runs, led by Roelling with six.

Ponderosa (Shingle Springs) earned the two seed primarily due to its challenging non-league schedule, which included a 5-3 victory over Vista del Lago. The Bruins faced five teams that finished within the Top 10 and also tied Northern Section powerhouse East Nicolaus 1-1.

As demonstrated by last year's results, Vista del Lago's seeding is not the most crucial factor. The Eagles bring battle-tested pitchers Olivia Manchester and Charlize Cai, who possess experience from deep playoff runs.

There is no easy out in the Pioneer (Woodland) lineup. Sophomore Marisa Bryson leads the way for the Patriots with eight home runs and an impressive .577 average. This young and hungry team can cause trouble with their formidable batting skills.

Oakdale, one of the four Valley Oak League teams in the bracket, will be a tough opponent for any team. The Raiders have the potential to meet league rival Central Catholic in the semifinals. In their most recent encounter, the two teams went into extras with a score of 0-0 after seven innings before the Raiders eventually triumphed 3-0.

Kimball (Tracy) is our sleeper pick in the bracket. It's beaten some solid teams this year and played close games against opponents like Oakdale and Central Catholic. Manteca, the fourth team from the VOL, is another ball club capable of competing with anyone.

Division 4
Defending champion: Dixon

D4 includes three teams that won their respective leagues and two teams that finished inside the Top 25. The D4 bracket experienced a shakeup towards the end of the season as West Park (Roseville) and El Camino (Sacramento) made late-season runs to secure their spots. Consequently, teams like Kimball and Los Banos were moved up to D3. To emerge victorious in this bracket, defeating the defending champions will be necessary.

Dixon retains its position as the one-seed, just as it did last year. The Rams were co-GEL champs and finished with an impressive overall record of 20-6. Junior Felesha LePenske and Audrey Graham know what it takes to win a section title and have continued to impress throughout their prep careers.

Despite having a lower rating compared to Capital Christian (Sacramento), Ripon secured the No. 2 seed, likely due to their triumph as TVL champs. Kharime “Mims” Caratachea has stood out in the circle, striking out 10 batters in eight games this season.

The third-seeded Cougars boast a strong case for having the top pitcher in the bracket. Their freshman standout, Ayla Tuua, brings the heat in the circle. The team showcased their best performances towards the end of the season, securing a notable 5-2 victory over St. Francis. In that game, the talented freshman allowed just two hits and struck out nine.

Oakmont (Roseville) is a team that competes relentlessly, leaving everything on the field. Their lineup received a boost with the return of Ashlyn Leighton, who rejoined the team right before the playoffs after missing the majority of the year. They will play Casa Roble in a rematch, as the Vikings emerged victorious with a 9-5 win during the regular season.

Division 5
Defending champion: Hilmar

The D5 bracket features four league champions and two teams that finished inside the top 25. One notable aspect of this bracket is the presence of Sutter and Wheatland, who battled for a Northern Section title a year ago and are now vying for the SJS title in 2023.

Sutter rightfully claims the top seed after an outstanding regular season where its sole loss came against a powerhouse Southern California team. The Huskies concluded the season with a remarkable 1-0 win over East Nicolaus. Olivia Bauer shines both in the circle and at the plate, making her a formidable force.

To beat Sutter, a team will need to deliver an extraordinary performance. Calaveras (San Andreas) boasts a team batting average of .416 with a total of 16 home runs. Senior Bailie Clark has been consistently productive, registering two or more hits in 13 games this year, and accumulating a career total of 20 home runs.

If there's any team familiar with Sutter, it's Wheatland. The two teams have faced each other 51 times since 2005. Although the Lady Pirates have suffered 18 consecutive losses in their recent matchups, they have consistently kept the games competitive. In their most recent encounter in late April, Wheatland managed to tally 10 hits off Bauer, but fell short with a 5-3 loss. Nonetheless, this performance gives them confidence that they can hold their own against Sutter.

Orestimba (Newman), the SAL champions, demonstrated their capabilities during an impressive non-league schedule, fiercely competing in all their games against the likes of St. Francis, Elk Grove, and Enochs.

Division 6
Defending champion: Woodland Christian

D6 comprises schools ranging in size from 834 to 203 students. Vacaville Christian stands out as the only league champion in this bracket but has been designated as the seven-seed.

Millennium (Tracy) secures the top seed, largely due to their challenging schedule that involved competing against much larger schools. Jocelyn Hernandez and Mia Hernandez have been consistent power hitters for the Falcons throughout the year.

Riverbank had one of its most successful regular seasons, finishing with an overall record of 11-7-2. The Bruins concluded the season with a five-game winning streak, including an impressive 6-5 victory over Ripon.

Le Grand finished second behind Orestimba in the Southern Athletic League. Haiden Priddell and Nadia Avila have formed a formidable 1-2 pitching combo, striking out a combined total of 167 batters.

Division 7
Defending champion: Big Valley Christian (Modesto)

D7 features a rematch of last year's finals. Stone Ridge Christian (Merced) is once again the one-seed but were in the spot a year ago before falling to the No. 2, Big Valley Christian (Modesto) in the finals.

The top seed Knights have proven their strength throughout the season and are determined to make another title run. Junior pitcher Cali Cole has been exceptional on the mound, boasting an impressive 0.77 ERA. Stone Ridge, on the other hand, suffered only two losses this season, both by a narrow margin.

The Lions, coming in as the two-seed, are well aware of their potential to secure the championship. Having faced the Knights twice this season and falling short on both occasions, they are hungry for redemption. In their last encounter in late April, they engaged in a tight battle, ultimately losing 6-4.

The third-seeded Buckingham Charter (Vacaville) Knights have been an offensive powerhouse, averaging over 11 runs per game. Senior Giana Jones has stood out with a batting average of over .600 throughout the regular season.