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TRACY, Calif. — Hometown team Tracy High won four straight games over the weekend to capture the 2025 NFCA Nor Cal High School Leadoff Classic for the second time in the past three years.

The (22-2) Bulldogs continued their strong play this season, collecting their 15th consecutive win with an 8-0 victory over Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks in Saturday’s championship. On their way to the title, they defeated Calaveras, 8-0, and Central Catholic, 4-2, on Thursday, before blanking St. Joseph (Santa Maria) in the semifinals. Tracy also won the event in 2013 and 2023.

Runner-up Notre Dame (20-5) went 3-1 at the event, and defeated Salinas, 6-2, in Saturday’s semifinals. The Knights rolled past Merced and Oakdale by a combined 22-1 margin in their opening two games on Friday. They had won five straight and 16 of their last 17 before falling to Tracy in the final.

St. Joseph shut out Salinas, 4-0, in Saturday’s third-place game. The (19-5) Knights allowed just two runs combined across their other three games, but four against eventual champion Tracy in the semis to snap a 13-game win streak. On Friday, St. Joseph defeated Monterey Trail, 8-0, and Gregori, 13-2.

Fourth-place finisher Salinas (11-6) defeated Capuchino, 3-2, and Vacaville, 3-2 in eight innings, before dropping its last two tournament contests.

In all, 36 schools competed in the varsity tournament, which was fully played for just the second time in the last six years. Games were played in 2022 and 2024, but rain caused the brackets to be abandoned, making crowning a champion impossible. In both 2020 and 2021, the event was completely canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Five of the 20 years the event has been held, rain has caused officials to alter the tournament and not be able to crown a champion.

The NFCA is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded coaches polls and All-America awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to awards, to in-person events and National Convention

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