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• Smash alumni contribute at the college level
Sis BAtes 4
Ceres High grad Sis Bates helped lead the University of Washington softball team to the NCAA Division-I Seattle Regional title this past week. Bates earned all-regional honors for her all-round play. - photo by COURTESY OF SCOTT OSLUND

Former Ceres-based Tri-County Smash youth travel softball teammates Sis Bates, Mahlena O’Neal, Kindra Hackbarth, Maddi Hackbarth and Bubba Nickles just finished competing in the Regional round of the NCAA Division-I Championship Tournament.

Bates, a 2016 Ceres High School grad, helped Washington extend its season this past week.

Bates and the third-seeded Huskies won all three of their games en route to claiming the Seattle Regional title.

Bates was named to the All-Regional Team.

The standout junior leadoff hitter/shortstop batted .556 (5-for-9) from the plate with one double, six runs and walk. She had a .600 on-base percentage.

Bates committed no errors on defense.

Washington shut out Mississippi State 8-0 in the Seattle Regional championship game on Sunday.

Bates batted 1-for-3 with two runs and one walk. 

Washington topped Mississippi State 6-1 on Saturday.

Bates batted 2-for-3 with two runs.

Washington blanked Fordham 2-0 on Friday.

Bates batted 2-for-3 with one double and two runs

Bates and Washington (48-7) will host Kentucky in the Super Regionals this weekend.

Mahlena O’Neal
Ceres High grad Mahlena O’Neal and the University of Georgia softball team capped off the 2019 season by advancing to the finals of the Minneapolis Regional.

O’Neal, a 2016 CHS grad, and Georgia had their 2019 season cut short by Minnesota.

The Bulldogs lost 8-1 to the seventh-seeded Gophers in the Minneapolis Regional Final on Monday.

O’Neal, a junior catcher and No. 5 hitter for Georgia, batted 1-for-3 from the plate.

The Bulldogs (42-19) compiled a 2-2 record at Regionals.

Following a 36-hour weather delay, O’Neal and Georgia defeated Drake 7-4 on Monday to secure a spot in the finals. She walked once.

The Bulldogs lost 2-1 to the Gophers on Saturday.

Georgia downed Drake 6-4 on Friday.

O’Neal batted .250 on the year with five homers, six doubles, 35 RBIs and 14 runs.

She had a .990 fielding percentage.

O’Neal threw out 12 base runners attempting to steal.

The Hackbarth sisters and Arizona State lost 9-8 to Alabama in the Tuscaloosa Regional Final on Sunday.

Maddi, a junior catcher and the Sun Devils’ No. 5 hitter, batted 1-for-3 from the plate with one RBI and one walk.

Twin Kindra, a junior right fielder and Arizona State’s No. 3 hitter, batted 0-for-2 with one run and two walks.

The Sun Devils (35-20) posted a 2-2 record at Regionals

Arizona State advanced to the finals after pulling away for a 10-1 win over Lipscomb on Saturday.

Kindra finished 1-for-2 with one RBI, one run, two walks and one stolen base.

Maddi walked once.

Arizona State lost 7-4 to Alabama on Saturday.

Kindra finished 2-for-4 with one homer, two RBIs and one run.

Maddie chipped in with one walk.

Arizona State edged Lipscomb 4-3 on Friday.

Kindra finished 2-for-2 with one double, one run and one walk.

Kindra batted .412 on the season with 17 homers, two triples, 18 doubles, 57 RBIs, 67 runs and 15 stolen bases.

Maddi batted .262 with 19 homers, two doubles, 53 RBIs and 34 runs.

The Hackbarth siblings graduated from Oakdale High School in 2016.

Bubba Nickles and second-seeded UCLA won the Los Angeles Regional championship with a 13-1, five-inning victory over the Missouri Tigers on Sunday.

Nickles, a junior centerfielder and leadoff hitter for the Bruins, batted 3-for-4 from the plate with two doubles, five RBIs and two runs.

UCLA (48-6) amassed a 3-0 record at Regionals.

The Bruins won their second game against the Tigers, 5-1, on Sunday.

UCLA routed Missouri 9-1 on Saturday.

Nickles batted 2-for-3 with two homers, five RBIs and two runs.

The Bruins cruised to a 6-0 win against Weber State on Friday.

Nickles batted 2-for-4 with one double, one RBI and two runs.

Nickles and UCLA will host James Madison in the Super Regional Round.

Nickles (class of 2016) graduated from Merced High School.