Three local teams advance to Saturday’s NorCal Championships with semifinal wins

Quinton Hamilton
·9 min read

It’s the end of the season and everyone is worn out, but on Saturday, three Stanislaus District teams will put their uniforms on for the final time in 2023.

Central Catholic was the district’s lone baseball team to advance to Saturday’s Northern California Regional Championship. Central Catholic’s softball team will also play. Both will participate in the Division III final.

Orestimba continued its season with a road win Thursday afternoon, so will play in the Division V final.

All games in the NorCal Championships will start at 4 p.m. Central Catholic baseball is the only local game as the Raiders’ second-seeded softball team travels to the top seed and Orestimba, the No. 5 team in Division V, travels to the third seed.

Here is how each team did Thursday, as well as a look at Saturday’s matchups.

Division III baseball

Central Catholic 7, Arcata 4 — Joel Roberts, Adrian Garcia and Seth Van Dyk all drove in runs as the Raiders advanced in the Division III NorCal playoffs. Two batters finished tied for the team high in hits as Roberts recorded a pair of doubles and Van Dyk finished with two singles. The Raiders (23-8-1) won their fifth straight game and the offense has continued to shine as the team has scored five or more runs in four of their five most recent wins.

The Raiders fell behind in the top of the first but tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the third. In the next inning, the team plated four runs, breaking the game open. With runners reaching on a pair of singles to open the inning, Braxton Thomas was intentionally walked, loading the bases. Roberts lined a two-RBI double to left field.

Central Catholic’s Joel Roberts connects on a double during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Arcata at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023. Central won the game 7-4.
Central Catholic’s Joel Roberts connects on a double during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Arcata at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023. Central won the game 7-4.

TP Wentworth went six innings for the Raiders, striking out five batters. The left-handed junior earned his ninth win this season, helping the second seed keep its season alive. Fellow junior Joseph Salacup recorded the final three outs in relief.

The Raiders will play their final game of the season at home after No. 5 Oakmont upset top-seeded Carmel.

Division V baseball

Lowell 7, Ripon Christian 6 — The Knights’ season came to an end Thursday with a narrow loss to Lowell of San Francisco. The teams finished the fifth inning tied at three, but the Cardinals scored four runs in the top of the sixth. Always up for a comeback, Ripon Christian scored on a two-run homer by Micah English. Grant Sonke singled with two outs and came around to score on an error.

The Knights finish with a 23-8 record and a Sac-Joaquin Section Division VII championship. The loss ends a streak of four straight wins. English led the team with two RBIs, while Logan Sauer, Eli Terpsma and Grant Sonke each drove in a run. Terpsma sent a solo shot to left field for a home run in the bottom of the third.



Division III softball

Central Catholic 8, Pleasant Valley 1 — The Raiders’ offense exploded Thursday after scoring just three total runs in the past two games. Jazmarie Roberts doubled, Jazzelyn Rios singled and freshman Madison Harrison blasted a three-run home run to left field in the bottom of the fourth inning to give Central Catholic (29-4) the offensive jolt it needed. The Raiders scored once in the first inning, added three in the fourth and scored four more in the sixth. Harrison, Roberts, Rios, Taryn Calderon and Mya Robles all drove in runs for the second-seeded Raiders.

Randi Roelling struck out 19 of the 23 batters she faced and gave up a walk and a home run in the complete game effort. The Raiders’ second straight win sets up a rematch of the May 27 Sac-Joaquin Section Division III final. They face top-seeded Ponderosa in Shingle Springs.

Division IV softball

Orestimba 5, University Prep 2 — For the second time this season, Orestimba (25-4) upset the top seed in its bracket. After beating No. 1 Sutter in the Sac-Joaquin Section postseason tournament, the Warriors came out on top against No. 1 University Prep of Redding (26-6) in Thursday’s Division V semifinal. Jacquelyn Lujan struck out 12 batters and gave up just five hits and two earned runs. The Panthers of the Northern Section scored in the third and sixth innings.

The fifth-seeded Warriors scored twice in the second, once in the third and added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the sixth. Lujan finished with a pair of doubles and had one RBI. Belany Martens and Hannah Taft each drove in a run.

After winning their first section title since 2008 in late May, the Warriors will look to secure the school’s first-ever softball NorCal title. They will play on the road against Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV champion Capital Christian.

Saturday’s Championships

Baseball

No. 5 Oakmont (21-13) at No. 2 Central Catholic (23-8-1), 4 p.m.

Central Catholic’s NorCal Division III Championship opponent, fifth-seeded Oakmont of Roseville, is coming off recently capturing the program’s fifth section championship since 1980 in a May 24 matchup with Woodland in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV title game. The Vikings are led at the plate by Tony Lira, who has 25 RBIs, 12 doubles and two home runs. Cooper Kunis and Adam Reyes bolster an offense that has produced eight straight wins heading into the championship at Central Catholic High School.

Central Catholic pitcher TP Wentworth delivers a pitch during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Arcata at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023.
Central Catholic pitcher TP Wentworth delivers a pitch during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Arcata at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023.

“I’m grateful we have the group of guys that we do, who work hard enough day-to-day to where we earned the opportunity to play in the title game.” said Central Catholic senior Joel Roberts, who had a team-high three RBIs Thursday.

Central Catholic won its section-best 12th blue banner in walk-off fashion May 25 against Pioneer. The Raiders are looking to be the first Stanislaus District baseball team to bring home a NorCal title after no teams advanced past the section semifinals last season — the first year the CIF introduced the NorCal Regional Championships.

While Braxton Thomas could not add to his state-leading 14 home runs Thursday, he did manage to extend his hitting streak to five games with a single to left field. Thomas bats .505 on the season and leads a group of Raiders with more than 100 plate appearances that hits better than .315.

The Vikings upset No. 4 Liberty and top-seeded Carmel in the first two rounds, while Central Catholic beat Colusa and Arcata.

Softball

No. 2 Central Catholic (29-4) at No. 1 Ponderosa (25-4-1), 4 p.m.

It’s a Sac-Joaquin Section championship game rematch in the NorCal Division III final between the Raiders and Bruins.

Pondo scored a run in the first inning and that was all it needed to secure the 1-0 victory at Cosumnes River College on May 27.

“We have Ponderosa part two now, so now we’re hyped,” Roelling said. “We were all bummed about sections.”

The Raiders’ defense has been solid all season, but against Bruins ace Western Michigan-bound Ana Niles, who has won 16 games this season, the offense produced just three hits. Central Catholic did come away from Thursday’s win with eight runs and eight hits Thursday, which could provide momentum heading into the championship rematch.

“Getting that hat is such a big deal,” Roelling said of winning a section title. “Now that we have this second (chance), we’re not really used to the hype of it yet, but now that we have a good team we’re going to face, it’s going to make it even better.”

Central Catholic’s Madison Harrison connects on a three-run homer during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Pleasant Valley at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023. Central won the game 8-1.
Central Catholic’s Madison Harrison connects on a three-run homer during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Pleasant Valley at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023. Central won the game 8-1.

Roelling, Harrison and Emry Couch are the team’s three top power hitters, with six, five and four home runs, respectively. They are also three of the top four run producers. Harrison had driven in a team-high 35 runs. Rios and Couch are tied with 23 and Roelling has 25 RBIs. The first two in the team’s batting order, Roberts and Calderon have 42 and 40 hits, respectively, to lead the team.

Niles has hit 10 home runs and 11 doubles. She is second on the team in RBIs (33) and boasts a .434 batting average — third on the team behind Chase Mueller (.480) and Tatum Silva (.460).

Central Catholic beat Madera and Pleasant Valley to reach the championship and Ponderosa beat Cardinal Newman and Pinole Valley.

No. 5 Orestimba (25-4) at No. 3 Capital Christian (18-5), 4 p.m.

Orestimba upset its way into the NorCal Division IV championship game. Led by pitching from Jacquelyn Lujan, the newly crowned Division V section champs shut out No. 4 St. Helena on Tuesday and beat the No. 1 seed, University Prep, on Thursday. Saturday’s opponent is the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV champion, Capital Christian.

Both teams enter the matchup riding win streaks. The Cougars have won seven straight games, which began with a league victory over Sacramento High. The Warriors have won 17 straight games dating back to mid-April. They finished Southern League play undefeated and have come out on top in every must-win playoff game thus far.

Lujan broke two school records this year — career strikeouts and single season strikeouts — and is leading the team in batting average (.537), hits (51), RBIs (30), doubles (17) and is tied for the the team lead with four home runs. She’s not alone as Joslyn Sotelo, Mariah Avila and Hailey Starr are all regular offensive contributors.

The two sides have a common opponent, St. Francis of San Francisco. Orestimba lost 6-0 in a midseason tournament while Capital Christian won 5-2 in a nonleague contest just before the start of the section playoffs.

Central Catholic pitcher Randi Roelling delivers to the batter during the Northern California Regional division III semifinal playoff game with Pleasant Valley at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023.
Central Catholic pitcher Randi Roelling delivers to the batter during the Northern California Regional division III semifinal playoff game with Pleasant Valley at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023.
Central Catholic pitcher Randi Roelling struck out 19 of the 23 batters during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Pleasant Valley at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023.
Central Catholic pitcher Randi Roelling struck out 19 of the 23 batters during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Pleasant Valley at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023.
Central Catholic’s Jazmarie Roberts lands at second with a double during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Pleasant Valley at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023.
Central Catholic’s Jazmarie Roberts lands at second with a double during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Pleasant Valley at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023.
Central Catholic’s Madison Harrison rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Pleasant Valley at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023. Central won the game 8-1.
Central Catholic’s Madison Harrison rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Pleasant Valley at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023. Central won the game 8-1.
Central Catholic players greet teammate Madison Harrison after she hit three-run home run during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Pleasant Valley at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023. Central won the game 8-1.
Central Catholic players greet teammate Madison Harrison after she hit three-run home run during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Pleasant Valley at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023. Central won the game 8-1.
Central Catholic’s Adrian Garcia, right, throws out a runner during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Arcata at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023.
Central Catholic’s Adrian Garcia, right, throws out a runner during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Arcata at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023.
Central Catholic pitcher TP Wentworth delivers a pitch during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Arcata at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023.
Central Catholic pitcher TP Wentworth delivers a pitch during the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Arcata at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023.
Central Catholic’s Joseph Salacup (8) closed the game at pitcher and teammate Seth Van Dyk (2) celebrate the the victory in the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Arcata at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023. Central won 7-4.
Central Catholic’s Joseph Salacup (8) closed the game at pitcher and teammate Seth Van Dyk (2) celebrate the the victory in the Northern California Regional Division III semifinal playoff game with Arcata at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023. Central won 7-4.