Chico and Durham softball advance in CIF state playoffs | Local roundup

There are three teams from the Northern Section left in the CIF state softball playoffs, and the Chico High School Panthers are one of them. The Panthers, the No. 5 seed in the CIF NorCal Division III bracket, defeated No. 4 Chowchilla 12-6 on Tuesday in Chowchilla.

Chico scored three runs in the top of the first inning before taking a 7-1 lead after three innings. Chowchilla scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Panthers responded with five runs in the top of the seventh inning to secure the lead.

Chico pitcher McKena Harvey pitched the first four innings, allowing one hit, one earned run and striking out eight. The Panthers put in Leah Cawthon for the next 1 1/3 innings, but Harvey re-entered after the Tribe scored five runs (one earned). Harvey finished her day with 12 strikeouts, while Cawthon finished with two strikeouts.

At the plate Harvey and Maddie Nadeau, a freshman, had three hits each. Addi Hosier and Cawthon had two hits each. Cawthon and Harvey had three RBIs each, Nadeau had two RBIs and Harvey had a home run.

Chico (25-7) now faces No. 1 seed Monterey at 4 p.m. Thursday in Monterey. The winner will face the winner of No. 6 East Nicolaus and No. 2 Las Plumas for the CIF NorCal D-III championship on Saturday.

Durham 12, Lowell 2: The No. 3 seed Durham defeated No. 6 Lowell in the CIF NorCal D-V quarterfinals Tuesday in Durham.

Durham led 3-1 after the first inning, and scored in each inning before the game ended after six innings due to the mercy rule. The Trojans scored three runs in the second inning, once in the third, twice in the fourth, twice in the fifth and once in the sixth.

Sadie Sjolund led Durham with three hits, and Hayden Poyner, Ashley Spence, Trinity Kolu and Annalee Horn had two hits each. Spence had three RBIs, and Clare Osbon, Horn and Sjolund had two RBIs each.

Sjolund led the Trojans in the circle, allowing two hits, two runs (one earned), two walks while striking out eight in six innings.

Durham (20-10) will face No. 2 Le Grand at 4 p.m. Thursday in Le Grand.

Prep baseball

Franklin 8, Chico 1: The No. 2 seed Franklin defeated No. 7 Chico in the CIF NorCal D-II quarterfinals Tuesday in Elk Grove.

Franklin led 1-0 after the first inning. Chico tied it 1-1 after two innings, but the Wildcats added five runs in the third inning and two in the fourth to secure the victory.

Jaxxon Tweet, Ryan Heym and Myles Fortune had the only hits for the Panthers, and Fortune had the lone RBI on a double.

Jorden Neugebauer pitched 2 2/3 innings for the Panthers and allowed three hits, one walk and struck out one. Vinny Boatwright pitched 3 1/3 innings and allowed seven hits, eight runs (seven earned), walked five and struck out four.

Chico ends its season 22-9. Franklin advances to face No. 3 Los Gatos at 4 p.m. Thursday in Elk Grove.

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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 8:06 PM.