Tysen Espinoza and Kiran Yager threw a combined seven-hitter, as Aptos Little League’s Majors All-Stars, the District 39 champion, knocked off Los Gatos 5-1 in its opening game at the Section 5 Tournament at Campbell Little League on Friday.

Espinoza gave up three hits and two walks while striking out six batters over 3 1/3 scoreless innings. Yager gave up four hits and one run over 2 2/3 innings, while striking out three batters.

Aptos’ offense finished with nine hits and capitalized on three errors. It did all of its scoring over the first two innings.

Ethan Crump had two hits, including a double, and one RBI. Hunter LaTorre and Owen Reilly each had a hit, one RBI, and scored a run.

Espinoza and Yager each had a hit and run scored. Wyatt Graaskamp doubled and drove in a run, and Cody Pieracci had two hits and one walk. Patrick Collins scored a run.

Aptos plays in the winner’s bracket semifinals at Campbell L.L. on Sunday at 10 a.m.

11s All-Stars >> D-39 champion Capitola-Soquel’s 11s All-Stars beat the D-9 champion Hartnell 10-2 to open play in the Section 5 Tournament at Hollister Little League on Friday.

Jackson Castiglioni had three hits and three RBI, and Josh Skognes had three hits, one RBI, and scored twice. Anthony Gills had two hits, including a triple, two RBI, and scored twice. Oscar Lyon had doubled, had two RBI, and scored one run. Shane Noland Jr. had one hit and scored twice, and Emmett Dougherty drew a walk and scored twice.

Jake Hodge pitched three innings for Capitola-Soquel, Castiglioni threw one, and Skognes went two. They held Hartnell to four hits and combined for nine strikeouts.

Capitola-Soquel plays Willow Glen on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in Hollister.

10s All-Stars >> D-39 champion Capitola-Soquel’s 10s All-Stars lost 14-11 to D-59 Santa Teresa in the winner’s bracket semifinals of the Section 5 Tournament at Pajaro Valley Little League on Saturday.

Capitola-Soquel faces D-12 champion San Jose American an elimination game at PVLL on Sunday at 2 p.m. The winner faces Santa Teresa in Monday’s championship at 6:30 p.m.

Santa Teresa has to lose twice to be eliminated.

Women’s soccer

Local duo signs: A pair of Santa Cruz County women’s soccer players, St. Francis High alumna Sammy Martinez and Watsonville’s Kiana Varela, have signed letters of intent to compete at four-year programs in the fall.

The duo helped the Panthers (15-4-4, 9-1-1) win the Coast Conference South Division title and advance to the third round of the 3C2A NorCal Regional playoffs last season under veteran coach Ivan Guerrero.

Martinez, a goalkeeper, committed to NCAA Division I Oregon State University. As a freshman, Martinez became the fist goalie in Panthers’ history to earn first-team All-American honors from the United State Soccer Coaches Association. She posted a .61 goals-against average on the season and allowed just two goals in conference play — both program records.

The Beavers (7-9-2, 5-3-2) tied for fifth place in their first season in the West Coast Conference under then-interim coach Caroline Kelly in 2024.

Varela, a sophomore forward, committed to Hawaii Pacific University. She scored twice for the Panthers last season in 19 matches, eight of which were starts.

The NCAA D-II Sharks (3-8-2, 2-7-2) are coming off a 10th-place finish in the PacWest Conference under coach Adria Borras. The Sharks named Connor Artigue the program’s new head coach following the season, on March 11.

Running

Sunset Tour >> Saucony runner Vanessa Fraser, a Scotts Valley and Stanford alumna, took sixth in the women’s 1,500-meter Section 3 race at Sound Running’s Sunset Tour event at Occidental College on Saturday night.

Fraser finished in 4:13.89. Jess McGorty of Puma Elite won in 4:08.53.

San Lorenzo River Trail Run >> Aptos’ Jose Hernandez, 44, took eight out of 39 runners in the 50k race at the San Lorenzo River Trail Run on Saturday, He finished in 5:30:26.

San Jose’s Spencer Zeljak, 19, took first in 3:53:02. San Francisco’s Jeff Moss, 38, took second in 4:42:00, and Lincoln’s Jackson Geiselman, 19, was third in 4:42:43.

Stanford’s Anna Janni, 23, was the top female in 5:46:40. Gwenan Riley, 48, of Wellington took second and San Francisco’s Rachel Dias, 27, was third in 5:58:35.

Watsonville’s West Knutson, 29, took fourth out of 35 runners in the marathon. He finished in 4:38:33. San Francisco’s Maxime Petazzoni, 38, took first in 4:11:21. Redwood City’s Regina Fennie, 29, was the top female and took 10th overall in 5:10:20.

Santa Cruz’s James Ratliff, 19, took first out of 43 runners in the 30k race. He finished in 2:10:10. Santa Cruz’s Isabel Sanchez, 19, was the top female and finished third overall in 2:29:46.

Santa Cruz’s William Kelley, 27, took first out of 147 runners in the half marathon. He finished in 1:36:07. Santa Cruz’s Christopher Anderson, 24, took second in 1:39:28. Oakland’s Tanya Tarczynski, 33, was the top female in 2:17:53.

Hayward’s Andrew Wilkey, 32, was the top finished out of 106 runners in the 10k race. He finished in 37:56. San Francisco’s Ally Lai, 24, was the top female in 56:02.