Softball history! For the first time in Harker history our softball team qualified for CCS with a 10-0 victory over Alma Heights Saturday, solidifying third place in league and the last automatic league berth. The girls travel to Notre Dame-Belmont Wednesday for their first-round game. Please congratulate the girls and their coaches, Raul Rios, Dan Hudkins and Ray Fowler, for this outstanding accomplishment. Bracket directions from the Saratoga campus As with all CCS games, there is an entry fee. For softball first-round games entry is $5 for all, children under 12 are free.

Here are details of the game from a message Dan Hudkins sent to team families:

“Wow! What a game! By defeating Alma Heights Christian (10-0 in 6 innings) we received an ‘automatic qualification’ for the Central Coast Sectional (CCS) softball tournament. This is a first for Harker’s softball program, and speaking as someone who was also an assistant coach in 2004 when we went 0-15, we’ve come a long, long way. Your daughter and her teammates did it by their continuous, enthusiastic support of each other.

“Coach Rios and I just got back from the tournament seeding meeting at the CCS office. We received the 12th of 13 seeds in Division III (smaller schools). This means the first round game will be played against the number five seed, Notre Dame High School – Belmont, at Belmont on Wed., May 18 at 4 p.m. Coach Rios will let everyone know departure time for the game on Wednesday; I suspect that it will between 2 and 2:30. The school’s address is 1540 Ralston Ave., Belmont, CA 94002. With any luck we’ll be back in time to participate in the sports award ceremonies that begin at 6:30 p.m. on the Saratoga campus (parents are welcome to that as well). CCS is single elimination. If we win, we continue, if we lose, it’s the end of the season. We hope that you can come out and support the team either at the CCS round 1 game, the sports award ceremonies, or both! It’s been a great season and a privilege to have been a part of it.”