Photos by Phoebe Becker

The South Fork Cubs will play for a North Coast Section championship in softball on Friday night after a comprehensive win in their Division-6 semifinal on Tuesday.

The Cubs comfortably took care of business against Point Arena in Miranda, winning 12-2 in five innings.

And more importantly, the players played one of their most complete games of the season, which should give them plenty of momentum heading into Friday’s big showdown.

“It was the best game they’ve played all year,” head coach Lisa Todd said. “It’s the game I’ve been waiting for. Their energy was up, and they came to play, they came to win.”

Two players in particular led the way.

Senior team captain Chloe McConnell was outstanding in the pitcher’s circle and held the visitors to just one hit with a commanding performance.

“She pitched the best game of her career,” Todd said. 

At the plate, sophomore Makenzie Brewer led off with a home run over the center field fence in the team’s first at-bat of the evening and would finish 3-for-4 with all three of her hits going for extra bases.

“She set the tone for the game,” Todd said.

Mackenzie Coleman also had a big game and finished 3-for-4 with a walk, while McConnell helped her own cause by going 2-for-2 with a walk.

Molly Perkins and Caidence Young both were 2-for-4, with Perkins hitting a double and Young adding a pair of sac bunts.

Rounding out a very good day at the plate for the team, Aubrey Young was 2-for-3 with a walk and Aliya Burns was 2-for-3.

McConnell did not issue any walks and struck out out seven.

She was only denied a no-hitter by the one hit she allowed and a couple of team errors.

The Cubs, who are the No. 2 seeds in the bracket, will play No. 1 California School for the Deaf for the championship in Fremont at 5 p.m.

The Eagles had an opening-round bye in the three-team bracket.

The South Fork girls will be playing for a third NCS title in four seasons, having also won a D-6 section title in both 2018 and 2019.

There were no playoffs held in the COVID years of 2020 and 2021 and the Cubs did not field a team last year..