It wasn’t the way they would have drawn it up but, in the end, what mattered was what they did with the opportunity.

Escalon’s varsity softball girls unexpectedly found themselves in the championship game for the NorCal Division IV crown … and they didn’t waste the chance. They captured the school’s first ever NorCal softball title, defeating host Alisal High School of Salinas on Saturday, June 6. Final score was 4-2 Escalon and it was the third game in five days for the Lady Cougars in the NorCal Tournament.

They won the opener, 6-5, on the road against Alhambra on Tuesday, June 2; were soundly defeated following a long road trip to Cottonwood by top seed West Valley, 14-5, on Thursday, June 4 … but were awarded a spot in the championship game when West Valley had to forfeit the June 4 win for using an ineligible player in the game.

Finding out with time for just a brief practice on Friday, the girls headed out to Salinas early Saturday morning, getting to the field with time to warm up prior to the 1 p.m. start time.

Alisal came in to the contest as the number two seed in Division IV, thinking they would have a six-hour trip to face West Valley, but instead got to stay home and host the number five seed Lady Cougars.

Behind some timely hitting, solid defense, and a strong pitching performance, Escalon built up a 4-0 lead and then held on for a 4-2 win, as Alisal scored two runs in their final at bat.

The range of emotions for the players literally saw them in tears Thursday as they said their goodbyes, to having to regroup and be mentally prepared for a championship game on Saturday, which ended with a few more tears – but this time, tears of joy and celebration.

“I knew that these girls could do it,” head coach Lexy Underwood said following the victory. “They have the fight; they have the drive to be able to do anything they want to do out here on this field.”

The team will lose three seniors – Madison ‘Madi’ Babasa, Lizzy Allan, and Peyton Merrill – and though Underwood said they will be missed and their leadership hard to replace, she noted that six of the 13 players on the roster for the NorCal title game were freshmen, which bodes well for the future of the team.

University of Arizona commit Babasa played third base Saturday and called all the pitches in the game.

“It feels amazing; obviously, people are going to say that we shouldn’t be here but we deserve to be here,” Babasa shared. “Coming down here to Salinas, it’s a long way, being able to come out on top against the number two seed feels amazing and being a state champ is nice.”

She admitted that finding a way to do a quick turnaround from the emotions of losing on Thursday only to be granted a second chance was key for the squad.

“I was mentally preparing myself just to be ready to play,” she said after receiving a late-night text Thursday that it was possible.

Final word came down Friday morning that the Lady Cougars would, in fact, play for a state championship.

“I think everyone was up for the challenge,” Babasa said, adding that the team camaraderie also helped propel the team, as everyone was engaged from the first pitch on.

Junior Arianna Velasco said the unexpected opportunity definitely fired up the team, as they all knew they didn’t play to their capabilities in the loss to West Valley on Thursday and had a chance to prove that they were better than that performance.

“We just wanted to come out today, put everything out there, leave everything on the table,” Velasco explained. “We had nothing to lose, we came out here, we knew it was really windy and we knew what we had to deal with, we just wanted to get it done and we kept talking along the way, I think talking helped us throughout the game.”

A three-year varsity starter, it was also special for Velasco to be part of the historic first NorCal title.

“It’s amazing honestly,” Velasco said. “I always talk about just trying to leave my mark at Escalon and now I’ve made history at Escalon and it’s amazing.”

Junior Mia Bracamontes – who celebrated her birthday on Saturday – couldn’t have been happier with the unique present and was already looking ahead to next season.

I’m excited to play … and to see where the season takes us next year,” Bracamontes said. “We play as a team and we play hard.”

Freshman starting pitcher Tenley Adams was enjoying the moment after receiving her NorCal medal and posing for team photos.

“I just feel blessed that we all got to be here today and we played as a team, as one, and we just made the plays we needed to to get here,” Adams said.

Adams threw the pitches; Addy Lopez was behind the plate to catch them.

“As a freshman it’s so exciting, I love it,” Lopez said. “We just feel like a family; it’s so supportive, it’s a good support system and it feels great to have girls that have your back.”

The championship game roster included seniors Madi Babasa, Peyton Merrill and Lizzy Allan; juniors Jessy-Lynn Kessler, Jayci Trimble, Mia Bracamontes, and Arianna Velasco; and freshmen Kyla Holback, Addy Lopez, Avery Bartelink, Emma Isernhagen, Lauryn Siegel, and Tenley Adams.

For senior Allan, a four-year softball player at Escalon, it was important that the team had a moment to regroup, as they were able to focus on the basics and what they had to do to get the job done.

“We needed all 13 players on this team to make it here; it’s not just three girls, it’s not just two girls, everyone is here to play, everyone here won this … this was a team win,” Allan said. “Everyone here put something into this win.”

And Allan’s thoughts on making history as part of the first softball team in Escalon to claim a NorCal championship?

“Best feeling in the world, I’m not gonna lie,” Allan admitted. “I feel great.”