New Softball State Top 20

Vintage of Napa started this week with 27-0 season record. Photo courtesy school.

Pacifica and Mitty move up to No. 2 and No. 3 due to Mater Dei loss while perennial NorCal power San Benito re-enters and snags the final spot.

Note: For a free look at this week’s Inside the Softball State Top 20, which normally will be content for Gold Club members, including more analysis, more player recognition, more team writeups and a closer look at the toughest teams to rank, CLICK HERE.

For game reports, please go to our twitter page @CalHiSports and for other updates please visit our Facebook page. To subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter, click here. To check out our YouTube channel, click here.

Here are this week’s rankings (after games of Saturday, May 4; previous ranking in parentheses; Monday games of this week not included):

1. (1) Mission Viejo 24-1
In a 13-5 win over Tesoro, Alyssa Palomino hit her 16th home run. The Diablos already have beaten San Clemente on Monday.

2. (3) Pacifica (Garden Grove) 22-5
With two easy wins last week, the Mariners keep pushing their way to near the top of the heap and are now just one spot below where they began the season.

3. (4) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 25-0
The beat goes on for the undefeated Monarchs, who even get to move up this week entering the West Catholic Athletic League playoffs.

Kaylee Carlson of No. 2 Pacifica tossed a perfect game last week. Photo courtesy school.

4. (5) Yorba Linda 20-2
Wins over Placentia Valencia and Cypress helps this team get a one-spot bump.

5. (6) Great Oak (Temecula) 15-3
The Wolf Pack get to move ahead of the Mater Dei team they defeated earlier in the season after beating Temecula Valley (Temecula) on the road and then at home, 7-0 and 14-0.

6. (7) Amador Valley (Pleasanton) 20-2
On tap for the Dons this week is a league rematch with California of San Ramon, which handed them a loss in last meeting.

7. (2) Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 22-4
Coach Doug Myers’ team lost to an Orange Lutheran team that was coming off a loss to Santa Margarita.

8. (8) Santiago (Corona) 24-4
The No. 2 team from the Inland Empire geared up for the CIFSS Division I playoffs by avenging losses to Eastvale Roosevelt and Corona.

9. (9) Esperanza (Anaheim) 20-3
Wins over Brea Olinda (Brea) and Placentia El Dorado keep the Aztecs on a roll.

10. (10) Vintage (Napa) 27-0
After a three-win week and a third-straight win over a Napa team they hadn’t beaten in seven years prior to this season, the Crushers don’t move up but stay solidly in the top 10.

11. (11) James Logan (Union City) 19-1
The Colts won on the road at Fremont Kennedy and then hosted and toasted Moreau Catholic of Hayward.

12. (12) El Diamante (Visalia) 26-1-1
The Miner girls won twice last week to clinch the league title with two games to go this week.

13. (13) Norco 22-6
Two more wins last week for the Cougars, who should be ready to defend the CIFSS Division I title.

14. (14) Moorpark 19-3
The Musketeers’ win over Mater Dei is looking better for their potential chances in the CIFSS Division II playoffs.

15. (15) Chino 18-2
A diet of Mt. Baldy League schools is not an indicator of playoff strength, but the early season losses by 1-0 to Mater Dei and 7-6 to Mission Viejo shows that the Cowboy girls could make some playoff noise.

16. (16) California (San Ramon) 17-3
Can the Grizzlies pull off another one this Thursday versus Amador Valley?

17. (17) Marina (Huntington Beach) 21-3
It was two wins last week for the Vikings, 6-3 over visiting Huntington Beach and a 2-1 squeaker at crosstown Edison.

18. (18) Lakewood 21-6
After wins last week over Long Beach Millikan and Long Beach Wilson, the Lakewood girls have won seven straight since a loss to Amador Valley at the Carew Classic.

19. (20) Bonita Vista (Chula Vista) 18-4-1
Two more wins last week over crosstown Mater Dei helps the Barons take spot vacated by Orange Lutheran.

20. (NR) San Benito (Hollister) 20-3
The Haybaler girls are back in the rankings and senior pitcher Megan Sabbatini is on fire with 17-0 record.

Team That Dropped Out:
Previous No. 19 Orange Lutheran (Orange).

Teams on the Bubble
There are 48 teams listed. They can be seen as a new post on the new CalHiSports.com softball message board. CLICK HERE.

Harold Abend is the associate editor of CalHiSports.com and the vice president of the California Prep Sportswriters Association. He can be reached at marketingharoldabend@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @HaroldAbend