Central Coast Section softball playoff roundup • Saturday, May 23, 2026

Hillsdale 12, Wilcox 2

Senior Mia DeMartini led Hillsdale (18-9) to a 12-2 win over visiting Wilcox (17-8). DeMartini drove in five runs with four hits including a home run and a double.

“Mia is our team captain and a standout player and amazing leader,” Hillsdale coach Eryn McCoy said, “besides being athletic and hardworking.”  

DeMartini was the No. 2 batter in the PAL Bay Division this year and hit .543 in league play. She will be playing Division I softball at the University of Nevada, Reno in the fall.

Pitcher Lola Jones struck out four in throwing a four-hitter. Taylor O’Mahony tripled and drove in two runs while Sophia Shelton and Giuliana Brum had two hits each.

Division II

Burlingame 10, Mercy-Burlingame 0

At Cuernavaca Park, Brooke Arce was the standout for Burlingame (17-8). The sophomore pitcher struck out six in throwing a five-inning two-hitter. On the other side of the plate, she went 3 for 3 with a triple and a homer for three RBIs.

Asked if she considered herself a pitcher or a hitter? 

“I’m a hitting pitcher,” said Arce, who is one of Burlingame’s deep pitching stable of three strong pitchers. “But today at bat I was just trying to make good contact. It worked out.”

Burlingame also got RBI hits from Maddy Koo, Kiley Lyons, and Sam Arce. Freshman pitcher Olivia Eastburn struck out three for Mercy (21-6), who won the PAL Lake Division championship this year and will move up to the higher bracket Ocean Division next season.

Woodside 4, Carmel 2

In another Division II game, No. 8-seed Woodside (16-9) traveled down to No. 1 Carmel (22-7) and upset the top seed. Woodside pitcher Hannah Walker held Carmel to two runs and struck out three. Mo Overbey cracked three hits, and Elizabeth Severin drove in two runs with a double.

Soquel 10, Menlo-Atherton 3

No. 5 Menlo-Atherton was eliminated in its first-round playoff game, yielding runs in all innings but on at No. 4 Soquel (19-7). The Bears tied it 1-1 in the top of the second on a two-out RBI triple from sophomore Olivia Rodgers. Soquel answered right back in the bottom of the inning on a leadoff solo home run from freshman Sophia Kilby. Freshman Kiyoma Dunlap added a home run amid a 4-for-4 day for the Lady Knights, and Eliza Stevens also homers. Juliana Pandolfo paced M-A (19-5) with three hits.

Division III

Capuchino 12, Santa Teresa 0

In a dominating performance Capuchino (12-9-3) pushed Santa Teresa all around the field. Cap’s battery of junior pitcher Lily Thomas and junior catcher Brianna Lopiccolo were standouts.

Thomas threw a riser and changeup to kept the Santa Teresa (11-13-2) batters off balance. She pitched a five-inning one-hitter with a couple of strikeouts. Lopiccolo smashed and over the fence home run and was followed by a double from Dana Motroni and a triple from Kiana Ngaluage to highlight Capuchino’s four-run first inning. Setaita Mau hit another over-the-fence home run, and Leeanna Patolo had two hits including a double.

Leigh 4, Mills 3

No. 5 Mills was overcome in a back-and-forth at No. 4 Leigh-San Jose (16-9). Leigh jumped ahead with a three-run second, but the Lady Vikings (13-12) fired back with a three-run home run from freshman Alyssa Penas in the top of the third. The Longhorns jumped back ahead in the fourth on an RBI double from freshman Prestley Mueller, junior pitcher Reagyn Hilder did the rest by going the distance.

Division IV

Notre Dame-Belmont 3, Watsonville 1

Lefty pitcher Caroline Zerella fired a three-hitter. In the third inning Juliette Ramirez lined an RBI single and was followed by a deep sacrifice fly from Allie Dorn. The next inning Eliana Crespin knocked a sharp, RBI single between third and short, and that was all Notre Dame (14-11-1) needed.

Division V

North Monterey County 10, Design Tech 1

No. 3-seed North Monterey County (19-8) erupted for five runs in the first and kept adding on to knock out No. 6 Design Tech (12-6). Kendall Hom collected two of the Dragons’ three hits to finish her breakout freshman season with a .737 batting average, currently tops in the CCS.

Terry Bernal contributed to this report.