May 2, 2017
DVC TO HOST HARTNELL IN NORCAL PLAYOFF SERIES
Hartnell
3
Diablo Valley
23-13-0
4
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
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2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
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0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | X | 4 | 5 | 1 |
DVC TO HOST HARTNELL IN NORCAL PLAYOFF SERIES.
The eighth-seeded Diablo Valley softball team (22-14) will host No. 9 Hartnell (26-10) in a best-of-three series to open the CCCAA Northern California playoffs on Friday and Saturday. The first game is 2 p.m. Friday. Second game is noon Saturday, followed by a third game, if necessary.
If they win the opening series, the Vikings will compete in a four-team Super Regional on May 12-14 – with the winner advancing to the CCCAA Final Four at Bakersfield, May 19-21. College of San Mateo (31-6) is the No. 1 seed in the North region.
The Vikings finished fifth in the tough Big 8 Conference, which has five seeded teams in the playoffs: No. 2 Delta, No. 3 Cosumnes River, No. 4 Sierra, DVC, and No. 12 Sacramento City.
A LOOK AT DVC: The Vikings, an emerging program under head coach Dennis Luquet and assistants John Rebstock and Caitlin Luquet, are seeking their third consecutive first-round Northern region series win. Catcher Terri Taylor had team highs in several offensive categories: batting average (.492), on-base percentage (.519), RBI (40), slugging percentage (.712), and doubles (15). Taylor and Madeline Cervantes share the team lead with three triples apiece. Elvia Alvarado leads DVC in walks with 19 and is No. 2 in RBI (27) and doubles (8). Versatile pitcher Sita Manoa has a 9-1 record with 11 complete games and a 3.32 ERA. Manoa is also No. 2 on the team in batting average (.365). DVC is known for its excellent defense; the Vikings made only 31 errors all season (.964 fielding percentage), 40 fewer errors than their opponents (.928).
In 2016, DVC beat visiting Merced in the first round, before dropping a heartbreaker to host Fresno City 8-5 in the Northern Super Regional. In 2015, DVC beat visiting Reedley in the first round and then defeated West Valley in the Super Regional at CSM. DVC next bowed out against San Joaquin Delta.
A LOOK AT HARTNELL: Hartnell, which finished the regular season in the Coast Conference South in 2nd place with an 11-4 record in conference games. They concluded the conference season with wins over Chabot and West Valley, has five regular starters hitting above .400.
Freshman pitcher/first baseman Danielle Caoili has 10 home runs, and freshman catcher Harllee Noda has nine home runs and a massive .795 slugging percentage. Kaitlin Shipman has six home runs and a .457 batting average. Freshman shortstop Angelina Ruiz has 33 stolen bases, and Kaitlyn Doyle has 26 stolen bases.
Northern California Softball Seeds (with overall records):
1.San Mateo 31-6
2.Delta 34-5
3.Cosumnes River 30-8
4.Sierra 32-8
5.Foothill 32-6
6.Monterey 29-8
7. Ohlone 25-13
8. Diablo Valley 22-14
9.Hartnell 26-10
10.Sequoias 25-13
11. Taft 25-12
12. Sacramento 23-13
13. Siskiyous 20-20
14. Butte 21-15
15.San Jose 19-18
16. Yuba 19-15
2.Delta 34-5
3.Cosumnes River 30-8
4.Sierra 32-8
5.Foothill 32-6
6.Monterey 29-8
7. Ohlone 25-13
8. Diablo Valley 22-14
9.Hartnell 26-10
10.Sequoias 25-13
11. Taft 25-12
12. Sacramento 23-13
13. Siskiyous 20-20
14. Butte 21-15
15.San Jose 19-18
16. Yuba 19-15