NCS softball roundup: California roars late to oust Clayton Valley
California advanced to the quarterfinals of the North Coast Section Division I softball playoffs after the eighth-seeded Grizzlies erupted for five runs in the late innings to defeat ninth-seeded Clayton Valley Charter 7-2.
Next up for California is a game on Friday at top-seeded Alameda, which had an opening-round bye.
Shayla Santolucito homered and knocked in two runs, Gabriella Cohune had two hits and scored a run and Emma Golde added two RBIs to lead the Grizzlies.
Jaiden Proctor and Riley Barton each drove in a run for Clayton Valley.
California scored two in the home half of the first, and Clayton Valley pulled even with two in the second.
The score stayed tied until California scored two in the fifth and three in the sixth.
The Grizzlies improved to 15-11. Clayton Valley finished 16-5.
No. 7 American Canyon 2, No. 10 Granada 1 (nine innings): Granada's season ended in crushing fashion as Madison Del Castillo hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to lift American Canyon to victory.
Granada had broken a scoreless tie in the visitor's half of the ninth when Madeline Bittman homered to center.
Kamryn Brannon pitched the entire game for Granada, striking out 10. Kate Sosa went the distance for American Canyon, striking out 11.
American Canyon (20-3) will visit San Ramon Valley on Friday.
Granada finished 13-13.
No. 6 Liberty 5, No. 11 Carondelet 3: A late rally got Liberty over the hump in its opening-round victory at home over Carondelet.
The Lions (22-5) scored twice in the fifth inning and three times in the sixth, banking enough runs to withstand a late charge from the Cougars (15-10).
Liberty got the scoring started in the fifth with Kelsey Krings' two-run homer, then Gianna Rega forced in Carondelet's first run with a bases-loaded walk in the sixth.
The Lions pulled away with Isabella Rice's three-run homer to extend its lead to four entering the seventh.
Mylei Lopez's two-run homer brought Carondelet closer but not close enough.
No. 7 Encinal 15, No. 10 Benicia 4: The rout was on in Alameda as the Jets pulled away with a nine-run fifth inning to win by the 10-run mercy rule.
Encinal (14-11-1) led 6-4 after four but exploded in the fifth, as Tamyrah Jamison and Sherrielyn Ferrer hit two-run doubles and Kiely Wong hit a two-run single.
Emiko Takemoto, Jaydah Tautalatasi-Robinson, Sonia Walker and Isabella Hernandez each had an RBI for Encinal.
Kaity Nichols and Kloie Ruiz had RBIs for Benicia (12-13).
Division II
No. 9 Foothill 11, No. 8 Cardinal Newman 3: Foothill built a 5-0 lead through two innings and cruised to an opening-round win on the road.
Eishita Singh, Alexa Sponsel and Naima Braham each drove in two runs for the Falcons, who advanced to play at top-seeded Marin Catholic on Friday.
Foothill improved to 12-11. Cardinal Newman finished 14-10.
No. 12 Casa Grande 10, No. 5 Pinole Valley 0: Despite being the higher seed and playing at home, the Trojans were no match for Casa Grande.
The Gauchos erupted for five runs in the first inning, four in the fourth and scored the mercy rule run in the fifth to breeze past Pinole Valley.
Casa Grande's Isla Sutherland threw a three-hitter and struck out two. Olive Luchese and Ava da Roza each had a home run.
Pinole ended its season 18-8.
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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 10:55 PM.