Sheldon softball, Elk Grove baseball seek section Division I three-peats
Sheldon High School softball and Elk Grove baseball teams earned high seeds for Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs that start next week.
Both programs seek their third consecutive Division I title in what has been a remarkable run.
Sheldon (24-2) has won seven section softball banners since 2007 and returns the core of a lineup that rolled to the title last season, including co-Bee Player of the Year Maci Fines, an infielder. Her older sister, Jordan, is playing on scholarship at Cal. Maci Fines is batting .466 with 19 extra-base hits and 21 RBIs. Shea Moreno is batting .437 with 35 RBIs, Sarah Brown .447 and 26 RBIs and Sam Oliver .432 and 32 RBIs. Ace Taliyah Miles is 16-1.
The other high-seeded teams in D-I softball are No. 2 Tracy, No. 3 Oak Ridge and No. 4 River City.
Elk Grove is the top seed in D-II softball, having split two Delta League games with Sheldon. Defending champion Casa Roble is the top seed in D-IV.
In baseball, Elk Grove (16-10) is seeded second as the Thundering Herd aims for their 10th D-I North baseball title since 2002 with a revamped lineup that includes Jake Jordan and George Spithorst, who have combined for 31 RBIs. The Thundering Herd has won eight of nine games.
Vacaville, fielding perhaps one of its greatest teams, is the No. 1 seed in D-I baseball. Oak Ridge, which began this season ranked No. 1 by The Bee, is the No. 3 seed, and longtime area power Davis is No. 4.
Christian Brothers (25-1) is the No. 1 seed in D-III, seeking it first baseball title at any division. Valley Christian Academy of Roseville is the top seed in D-VII, aiming for its seventh banner in 10 seasons under coach Brad Gunter Jr., who recently won his 400th game and 20th league title in 21 seasons.
Joe Davidson: 916-321-1280, @SacBee_JoeD
Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs
Baseball
Division I
Monday openers:
No. 9 Jesuit at No. 8 Del Oro
No. 12 Sheldon at No. 5 Granite Bay
No. 11 Napa at No. 6 Franklin
No. 10 Woodcreek at No. 7 Wood
Byes: No. 1 Vacaville, No. 2 Elk Grove, No. 3 Oak Ridge, No. 4 Davis
Division II
Monday openers:
No. 9 Vallejo at No. 8 Kennedy
No. 10 Fairfield at No. 7 McClatchy
Thursday best-of-three at American River College:
No. 1 Benicia vs. Kennedy-Vallejo winner
No. 4 Whitney vs. No. 5 Laguna Creek
No. 3 Vanden vs. No. 6 Del Campo
No. 2 Oakmont vs. McClatchy-Fairfield winner
Division III
Monday openers:
No 9 Pioneer at No. 8 Sierra
No. 10 Rio Americano at No. 7 Woodland
Thursday best-of-three at McAuliffe Ballparks:
No. 1 Christian Brothers vs. Sierra-Pioneer winner
No. 4 Manteca vs. No. 5 River Valley
No. 3 Yuba City vs. No. 6 Vista del Lago
No. 2 Oakdale vs. Woodland-Rio Americano winner
Division IV
Monday openers:
No. 9 Colfax at No. 8 Union Mine
No. 10 Center at No. 7 Livingston
Thursday best-of-three at Zupo Field, Lodi:
No. 1 Los Banos vs. Colfax-Union Mine winner
No. 4 Liberty Ranch vs. No. 5 Placer
No. 3 Ceres vs. No. 6 El Dorado
No. 2 Lincoln vs. Livingston-Center winner
Division V
Monday openers:
No. 9 West Campus at No. 8 Bret Harte
No. 10 Calaveras at No. 7 Ripon
Wednesday best-of-three at Hebert Field, Stockton:
No. 3 Linden vs. No. 6 Marysville
No. 2 Capital Christian vs. Ripon-Calaveras winner
Thursday best-of-three at Hebert Field, Stockton:
No. 1 Escalon vs. Bret Harte-West Campus winner
No. 4 Dixon vs. Mountain House
Division VI
Monday openers:
No. 9 Forest Lake Christian at No. 8 Ripon Christian
No. 10 San Juan at No. 7 Gustine
Wednesday best-of-three at Stagg, Stockton:
No. 1 Vacaville Christian vs. Ripon Christian-Forest Lake winner
No. 4 Woodland Christian vs. No. 5 Orestimba
Thursday best-of-three at Stagg, Stockton:
No. 3 Mariposa vs. No. 6 Delta
No. 2 Bradshaw Christian vs. San Juan-Gustine winner
Division VII
Monday openers:
No. 8 Big Valley Christian vs. No. 9 Hughes Academy
Wednesday best-of-three at McAuliffe Ballparks:
No. 1 Valley Christian vs. Big Valley-Hughes Academy winner
No. 4 Turlock Christian vs. No. 5 Western Sierra
No. 3 Holt Academy vs. No. 6 Millennium
No. 2 Venture Academy vs. No. 7 Greene Academy
SOFTBALL
Division I
Wednesday openers:
No. 16 Franklin-Stockton at No. 1 Sheldon
No. 9 Turlock at No. 8 Gregori
No. 12 Kennedy at No. 5 Pleasant Grove
No. 13 Enochs at No. 4 River City
No. 14 West at No. 3 Oak Ridge
No. 11 McClatchy at No. 6 Wood
No. 10 Woodcreek at No. 7 Davis
No. 15 Chavez at No. 2 Tracy
Division II
Tuesday openers:
No. 16 Laguna Creek at No. 1 Elk Grove
No. 9 Bella Vista at No. 8 Napa
No. 12 Vacaville at No. 5 Roseville
No. 13 St. Francis at No. 4 Del Oro
No. 14 Granite Bay at No. 3 Del Campo
No. 11 Bear Creek at No. 6 Atwater
No. 10 Rocklin at No. 7 Whitney
No. 15 Inderkum at No. 2 St. Mary's
Division III
Tuesday openers:
No. 16 Patterson at No. 1 Benicia
No. 9 Manteca at No. 8 Christian Brothers
No. 12 Oakdale at No. 5 Pioneer
No. 13 Merced at No. 4 Vanden
No. 14 Beyer at No. 3 Ceres
No. 10 Yuba City at No. 7 Lincoln
No. 15 Bethel at No. 2 East Union
Division IV
Tuesday openers:
No. 9 Los Banos at No. 8 Hughson
No. 12 Union Mine at No. 5 Marysville
No. 11 Dixon at No. 6 Sierra
No. 10 Lindhurst at No. 7 Rosemont
Byes: No. 1 Casa Roble, No. 2 Calaveras, No. 3 Liberty Ranch, No. 4 Placer.
Division V
Wednesday openers:
No. 8 Orestimba at No. 1 Escalon
No. 5 Bear River at No. 4 Amador
No. 6 Hilmar at No. 3 Mariposa
No. 7 Waterford at No. 2 Ripon
Division VI
Wednesday openers:
No. 8 Golden Sierra at No. 1 Woodland Christian
No. 5 Western Sierra at No. 4 Millennium
No. 6 Holt Academy at No. 3 Argonaut
No. 7 Buckingham Charter at No. 2 Rio Vista
Division VII
Wednesday openers:
No. 8 Hughes Academy at No. 1 Ripon Christian
No. 5 Valley Christian at No. 4 Elliot Christian
No. 6 Bradshaw Christian at No. 3 Stone Ridge Christian
No. 7 Big Valley Christian at No. 2 Foresthill
This story was originally published May 11, 2017 at 10:11 PM.