Alizae Cole’s softball journey began at the age of four.
The soon-to-be Ceres High School graduate will move to the Los Angeles area this fall to attend college and play the sport at the NCAA Division-I level.
Cole earned a scholarship to Cal State Northridge.
“It’s amazing,” said Alizae, a left-handed pitcher/batter. “I can’t believe it. I really didn’t think I’d be good enough to go D1. My parents and coaches encouraged me to be better so I could play softball at the next level.”
Family, friends, coaches and teammates attended Cole’s signing ceremony, which was staged in January at Michael’s Pizza Bar & Grill on Carpenter Road in Modesto.
Cole didn’t get the opportunity to celebrate the milestone with her mother. Natasha Irizarry passed away at the age of 34 during Cole’s junior year.
“I almost quit (softball),” Cole stated. “My mom pushed me a lot. She motivated me. She told me it would be worth it in the end if I kept playing.”
Cole committed to Cal State Northridge in November of 2024.
“Alizae is truly one-of-a kind!” Matadors’ head coach Charlotte Morgan said. “She not only gives us a left-handed pitcher, but also a big lefty bat to our lineup. Alizae’s story is very special and can’t wait to see her blossom in our program.”
“I always wanted to be near Los Angeles,” Cole said. “It’s very pretty out there. It’s perfect.”
Cole visited Cal State Northridge in October.
Cole will vie for playing time as a true freshman with the Matadors, who had a 26-26 overall record, advanced to the Big West Conference Championship game and tied for second place in the BWC regular-season standings (17-10) in 2025.
“We spent the weekend out there,” said Cole, who will major in psychology in college. “I took pictures in the uniform and hung out with the other recruits and players. It was great.”
Cole was a standout on Ceres High’s varsity softball team for four seasons.
She compiled a 28-15 record at pitcher with a 2.64 earned-run average and 304 strikeouts in 2571/3 innings.
She batted .473 from the plate with nine home runs, 13 triples, 33 doubles, 113 RBIs, 110 runs, 62 walks and 25 stolen bases in 101 games.
Cole developed into one of the top players in the Western Athletic Conference.
She was voted WAC Pitcher of the Year and earned first-team all-league honors as a junior.
Cole posted a 12-1 record with a 1.70 ERA, 86 strikeouts, nine complete games and one shutout against WAC competition.
She batted .556 from the plate with one homer, three triples, four doubles, 22 RBIs and 16 runs.
Cole was selected to the WAC First Team this spring.
She amassed a 7-1 record in the circle with a 2.28 ERA and 63 strikeouts in league play.
She batted a career-best .657 with one homer, one triple, nine doubles, 13 RBIs, 19 runs and six stolen bases.
Cole was a first-team all-conference pick as a sophomore.
She was named to the WAC Second Team freshman year.
Cole’s teams had a combined record of 66-36, won three WAC titles and made four Sac-Joaquin Section playoff appearances.
“I feel like I surprised myself a lot,” she said.
Cole was named one of Ceres Unified School District’s “Every Student Succeeding” award recipients junior year.
She continued to show up to school every day and be a student leader following the unexpected death of her mother and the loss of her great-grandmother just weeks later.
Cole had a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 at Ceres High.
“She wasn’t going to let her circumstances dictate who she was going to become,” said Mike Corsaut, Cole’s softball coach junior, sophomore and freshman years. “Never once did she play the victim card. She had a goal in mind to play Division-I softball. She worked hard.”
Cole started playing the sport at the age of four through the Ceres Youth Softball program.
She’s dedicated 10-plus years of her life to travel ball.
She’s suited up for the Ceres Sizzle (8-10), San Jose Sun Cats (12-14) and California Grapettes (14-18).
Mother Natasha, great-aunt Davida Fair, grandma Elvira Cristo and coaches Jill and Adam Virchis (coaches) were Cole’s biggest supporters.
“I missed a lot of school and family events,” Cole said. “It was worth it. Softball is a breath of fresh air. It’s relieving to be on the field with people I love.”
Cole joined rare company by becoming just the eighth Ceres High grad to earn an NCAA Division-I softball scholarship.
She followed in the footsteps of Sehren Martinez (Cal Poly), Nicole “Sis” Bates (Washington), Mahlena O’Neal (Georgia), Rayohna Sagapolu (San Jose State), Monica Hall (South Carolina Upstate), Heidi Eisenbeis (Saint Mary’s) and Sara Norwood (Coastal Carolina).
“I never thought I’d go D1,” Cole said.
