Wheatland junior Ezekiel Gutierrez (11) celebrates the first run of the game with junior Hughston Rodney (2) on May 23 in the Pirates’ victory against Woodland. Photo by Steven Bryla

YUBA-SUTTER, CA (YSBC) - The week-long wait was over as the CIF released the brackets for the 2026 NorCal baseball and softball brackets.

The Wheatland baseball and East Nicolaus softball programs are the lone squads in our area that earned the opportunity to play in the NorCal championships as they both won Section Championships.

East Nicolaus junior Kylah Glenn (27) tosses a pitch during the Spartans’ win over Los Molinos on May 23. Photo by Chris Pedigo

Both teams hit the road on Tuesday, June 2 in their opening-round matchups as they were given the No. 5 and No. 6 seeds in their divisions:

The Pirates were given the No. 5 seed in the CIF Division III bracket and traveled to Palo Cedro and took on the Foothill Cougars.

Foothill was beaten 13-0 in the CIF Northern Section Division II final against Chico.

Wheatland sophomore Jaxon Becker (42) tosses a pitch on May 23 in the Pirates’ victory against Woodland. Photo by Steven Bryla

Wheatland head coach Bradford Barton expressed to Yuba Sutter Butte Colusa Sports that they approached the game on Tuesday like they have all season and that was just one pitch at a time.

The Pirates won their first section title in the program since 1993 and it was their first blue banner in the Sac-Joaquin Section as they beat Woodland 8-4 on May 23.

Barton added that it’s a strong bracket and is excited to compete against elite level competition.

East Nicolaus was rewarded with winning their seventh-straight NSCIF title by moving up a division in the NorCal Championships as the defending CIF 2025 NorCal Division IV champions.

The Spartans were given the No. 6 seed in the Division III softball bracket.

 

East Nicolaus sophomore catcher Sophia Vega (3) lays down a tag for an out on May 23 in the Spartans’ victory over Los Molinos. Photo by Chris Pedigo

East Nicolaus beat Los Molinos 8-2 on May 23 in the NSCIF Division V final and they went into the bracket as one of the NSCIF teams in the D-III bracket.

The Spartans traveled to Fairfield and took on the Rodríguez Mustangs. Rodriguez lost to Whitney 11-1 in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I final.

East Nicolaus head coach Dustin Massey told YSBC that the Spartans were ready for the chance to win a second-straight NorCal crown.

The NS was had three of their top-four ranked teams (Las Plumas and Chico) all in this bracket.