No. 4-seeded Presentation went up against No. 1 seed Mitty in the semifinals of the Central Coast Section Division II softball playoffs last week and the two powerhouses went toe-to-toe for nine scoreless innings before Mitty scored in the bottom of the 10th when the international tiebreaker rule was invoked. The result was a 1-0 victory for the Monarchs and a trip home for the Panthers.

It was the fourth time the two teams had met this season with them splitting a pair of games in the regular season of the West Catholic Athletic League and Mitty squeaking out a 2-1 win in 12 innings in the league tournament championship game.

The CCS contest was a classic. "It was great intensity and good defense by both teams," Newman said. "Both teams gave everything they had."

"I told our players afterwards that even though we lost we could walk off with no regrets. We gave it our all but they were just a little bit better this time."

Even though the Panthers had a no-hitter thrown at them, they had two chances to put a run on the board, which is a great testimony to the fact that they never gave up.

On one occasion, Genevieve Munoz put the ball in play and scampered around to second on an errant throw to first. She was bunted over to third but was stranded there.

The other opportunity came in the top of the 10th in the tiebreaker when the Panthers got a runner to third with one out and Molly McKeever was inserted as a pinch runner. Liz Staggs sent a rocket toward shortstop that was so hard that it knocked the fielder down, but she was able to hang on for the second out. Then a ball got past the catcher and McKeever instantly broke for the plate "exactly as she should have," said Newman. Unfortunately, the ball bounced off the metal backstop pole and returned directly to the catcher tagged out McKeever to end the threat.

Ace pitcher Jamie Lettire battled with an outstanding effort, striking out 14 while allowing seven hits in the complete game performance.

In the CCS playoff opener against No. 13 Soquel, the Panthers came through with some extra offense that proved to be enough for a 3-0 first round win. In the fourth inning, Lettire blasted a triple and Nicole Woyak brought her in with a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead.

Presentation used the long ball in the fifth to put the game away. Freshman Jennifer Carrow punched a single and then scored when freshman Montanna Maggetti ripped a two-run homer to put Presentation up 3-0 which is how it ended.

In the quarterfinals, the Panthers had the task of facing No. 5 Monterey, who was champion of the Monterey Bay League. Lettire was on fire, hurling a no-hitter and fanning 13 in the process and leading the Panthers to a 1-0 win.

It was a scoreless battle until the fifth when Presentation was able to push across the only run of the game. Maggetti led off the inning with a single but was forced out when Munoz reached on a fielder's choice. Senior first baseman Leanna Guillermo then roped a two-out double to drive in Munoz with what would eventually be the game winning run.