Hillsdale freshman sends Knights to NorCal D-III softball championship with walk-off heroics

SAN MATEO As gusting winds swirled around Hillsdale s softball field and a soft Thursday evening golden hour light began to bathe the turf diamond freshman Giuliana Brum patiently worked a full count with the bases loaded and the figure tied in the bottom of the eighth inning The righthanded infielder had taken three wayward pitches for balls and fouled off another trio in search of an inside fastball The seventh offering by Liberty-Madera s pitcher was exactly that and Brum poked a ground ball past the right side of the infield to number Mia DeMartini and send the top-seeded San Mateo initiative to the NorCal Division III title championship with a - semifinal accomplishment I was at a loss for words and then my whole association just comes running up to me and gives me a big hug Brum stated about her stunned reaction upon reaching first base SAN MATEO -- Hillsdale's runner Mia DeMartini facing camera celebrates with Giuliana Brum after the freshman drove in the winning run in the eighth inning Hillsdale defeated Liberty of Madera - in eight innings in a CIF NorCal Division III softball playoff semifinal at Hillsdale High School in San Mateo on June Joseph Dycus Bay Area News Group The Knights will play host to Cardinal Newman for the regional crown on Saturday Hillsdale which beat Notre Dame-Belmont the Central Coast Section Division II championship and then took out crosstown rival San Mateo in the NorCal opener enjoyed a lead for the majority of the challenge Ania Aleshi scored in the first inning on a Taylor O Mahony RBI and Knights pitcher Lola Jones cruised for the next scarce innings The Hillsdale sophomore pitched all eight innings striking out nine and allowing just five hits against a Liberty squad that was coming off a Central Section Division III championship She slowed her event down She attacked batters and threw what she demanded to throw and what felt strong Hillsdale coach Eryn McCoy commented She craved to get the job done Jones teammate Sophia Shelton scored on an error-assisted little league home run in the bottom of the fifth giving the Knights a - lead SAN MATEO -- Hillsdale junior Sophia Shelton smiles after she scored on a double that turned into a little league home run in the fifth inning Hillsdale defeated Liberty of Madera - in eight innings in a CIF NorCal Division III softball playoff semifinal at Hillsdale High School in San Mateo on June Joseph Dycus Bay Area News Group Related Articles CIF NorCal baseball softball Thursday s scores updated schedule International attention on California high school runner who had state title taken away after celebrating with fire extinguisher Local Democrats Republicans promotion North Salinas runner stripped of gold medal blast CIF CIF mum on North Salinas sprinter stripped of state title for celebration CIF NorCal softball roundup Willow Glen s season ends at Del Oro Northgate rolls Their opponent would not go away though Liberty s Leilah Uriarte turned a stolen second base into a run when Hillsdale committed a pair of errors and then Trinity Cervantes tied the challenge with a double to left a ball that was kept inside the fence only by the wind The Knights were unfazed by this sixth inning setback with McCoy crediting the group s up-and-down regular season for preparing Hillsdale We say Find a way to get it done and that s what they did McCoy reported Jones locked back in the following two innings keeping Liberty off the board and giving Hillsdale - - a chance to win it in the eighth Shelton led off the inning with a single to center and DeMartini and Jones were each walked intentionally to load the bases and set up the force at any base Liberty was able to get one out at home via groundout but were unable to solve Brum As a freshman that is so much pressure to be under and I couldn t be more proud of her McCoy disclosed She kept it simple and she put the ball where it needed to be