Carmel-Notre Dame softball

Central Coast Section Division III
Saturday's game
No. 5 Notre Dame (17-8) vs. No. 4 Carmel (21-3) at the Sports Complex, 4 p.m.
 The three-time reigning Central Coast Section Division III champion Spirits are playing with a chip on their shoulders after being seeded a disappointing No. 5.
 The Spirits opened the postseason party, needing just five innings to dispose of  Mercy-Burlingame 11-1 last Wednesday behind a 10 strikeout effort from sophomore Vanessa Gonzalez.
 These teams have postseason history, with it being one-sided over the last 12 years, as Notre Dame is 4-0 against the Mission Trail Athletic League champions.
 That doesn't mean the games weren't tight. Three of the four games have been decided by one run, including 2011 when the Spirits beat Carmel 3-2 in the CCS DIII quarterfinals.
 During Notre Dame's state record run of nine straight CCS titles, it beat the Padres 1-0 in the title game in 2004 and 2005.
 Aly Gomonet has sprayed the ball all over the field this spring for the Spirits while Lauren Pullara leads the team in runs batted in.
 Danielle Caoili has been dominate in the circle and at the plate for Carmel, hitting a two-run homer in its playoff opening win over Castilleja, while shutting them out over the final five frames.
 Caoili has five homers and 28 RBI this year. The first four hitters in the Padres lineup are lethal as Rachael Carroll, Lauren Salvati, Ashlyn Davis and Caoili combined for 11 hits against Castilleja.