Escalon caps historic season with NorCal title in first ever appearance
Four runs in one inning capped a second championship in a historic season for the Escalon softball team.
The Cougars, ranked at the No. 5 team in the CIF Northern California Regional Division IV bracket, beat No. 2 Alisal 4-2 Saturday to claim the championship plaque on the road.
Freshman pitcher Tenley Adams pitched her fifth complete game of the 2026 postseason. She struck out six batters, gave up six hits, seven walks and a pair of earned runs. She earned her 11th win on the mound. Four Cougars recorded a hit, led by Jayci Trimble who finished with two hits, a double and an RBI. University of Arizona signee Madison Babasa added a hit and scored a run, Adams and Emma Isernhagen each recorded hits. UC Riverside commit Arianna Velasco drove in a run.
“It’s hard to put into words what it means. To be part of a team that accomplished something no other softball team at Escalon has done is incredibly special,” first-year head coach Lexy Underwood said in a text message to The Bee. “I’m proud of the players for the commitment, toughness, and belief they showed all season.”
The Cougars scored all of their runs in the top of the third inning.
Babasa legged out a bunt for a single with one out and reached second when Kylal Holback walked. Both stole a bag, putting them on second and third for Velasco. The junior hit into a fielder’s choice, scoring Babasa for the game’s first run. Two runners scored when Lizzy Allan reached on an error in the outfield. Trimble’s two-out double scored Allan for the team’s fourth run of the inning.
Adams and the Cougars defense did not allow a run until the seventh inning. Alisal drew a pair of walks in the inning and with two outs scored on back-to-back RBI singles. Adams rebounded one batter later, striking out the final batter of the game.
“The message was to stay calm and play Cougar softball. We didn’t need to do anything extraordinary; we just needed to trust the work we had put in all season,” Underwood said of the team’s mindset in the seventh inning. “This group has shown resilience all year, and I reminded them that they were built for moments like that. We believed if we stayed composed and played together, we’d finish the job.”
Escalon finishes the regular season on a 12-game win streak. During their run to Sac-Joaquin Section and NorCal Regional titles, the Cougars won four games by less than three runs. Their final record of 18-11 included more wins than the last three seasons combined and the fewest losses in a regular season since 2022. This season’s postseason run came in the program’s first playoff appearance since 2023.
The Cougars experienced nearly every emotion during the week of the regional playoffs. They earned the program’s first-ever NorCal postseason victory Tuesday, beating Alhambra 6-5. Two days later, though, they fell to the division’s No. 1 seed, West Valley.
They received second life Friday morning when they got word that a West Valley player participated in games with her travel ball team during the regional playoffs, deeming her ineligible and forcing the Eagles to forfeit the game. They gathered together around noon for a last minute practice.
“Our mindset was simple: make the most of the opportunity,” Underwood said. “After the section playoffs, we knew we earned a spot in the NorCal playoffs giving us another chance to keep playing together. We talked about playing loose, trusting each other, and embracing every moment because we knew not every team gets that opportunity. The girls were determined to keep our season going as long as possible.”
The Cougars qualified for the NorCal tournament by winning the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V championship. In the section playoffs, the seventh-ranked team won its first-round home game and then upset the division’s No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the quarterfinals and semifinals. They reached the section title game where they upset No. 5 Casa Roble 5-1 to win a blue banner.
The championship came in Escalon’s first appearance in a softball title game since 2019. Escalon won three-straight section titles in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Because the NorCal regional playoffs did not start until 2022, those seasons ended with section titles.
Saturday’s NorCal title came in the Cougars’ first ever appearance.
“Being on the other side of a championship run is something I’ll never forget,” said Underwood, who played for the Cougars as they won all three of their section titles in the late 2010s. “As a player, I remember how exciting it was to keep your season alive and chase titles, and now getting to experience that as a coach alongside this group made it even more meaningful. This team has left a lasting mark on our program, and that’s something they can be proud of forever.”
