SAN JOSE >> Aptos High’s youth-laden softball team was having little luck on offense against Westmont senior ace Regan Steele early on in the Central Coast Section Division III Championship on Saturday.

The No. 4 seed Warriors broke through for four runs in the third inning to take a commanding lead. But the fiery, seventh-seeded Mariners, making their first section final appearance despite having just four seniors in their starting lineup, made some adjustments in their offensive approach, yielded results, and left the outcome in question.

The Mariners manufactured a pair of runs in the fifth inning, and tacked on another run in the sixth to narrow their deficit to one run, but went quickly and quietly in the seventh inning of their 4-3 setback in front of a near capacity crowd at sun-baked San Jose City College.

“We gave it a go, the best we could,” said Phil Rojas, the Mariners’ longtime head coach. “I’m still proud of these kids. A lot of people didn’t expect us to be in the finals today, Division III. I’m gonna take that a little bit, and here we go, we’re going to regionals.”

The Mariners (17-8 overall), the runner-up to repeat champion Scotts Valley in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League, were an emotional bunch after their setback, and rightfully so. At this level, it’s the little details that make the difference between winning and losing, and the Mariners’ made one too many slip-ups.

“We kinda had a slow start today,” Rojas said. “We kinda had a few miscues. We’ve been playing flawless defense and, Mya (Najera-White) pitching, she needs our outs. Sophomore pitcher, big game for her. Biggest game she’s ever pitched in. She did the best she could. Our hitting was a little down today, compared to what we’ve been doing, but that pitcher (Steele) was pretty good.”

The Warriors (16-14), who held on to claim their first section title in the sport in school history, were a joyous bunch after their latest win. As a section champion they were supposed to advance to the CIF NorCal Regional playoffs, which begin Tuesday, but elected to decline the NorCal berth due to possible conflicts, like graduation on Thursday, when the semifinals are scheduled.

Mariners athletic director Travis Fox informed Rojas after the defeat that his squad, despite the loss, had secured an at-large berth to the regional playoffs. They found out Sunday that they earned the No. 7 seed in D-IV and will play their first-round game at No. 2 Argonaut (24-5) in Jackson at 4 p.m.

“Hey, I guess I have to cancel that Maui trip,” joked Rojas, after hearing the news.

Given the Mariners’ youth — they started five sophomores and one freshman in the final — each postseason game is not only an opportunity for the tight-knit group to spend more time together, but an opportunity to continue to build for a promising next few years.

“I think every step from CCS and, now, going into NorCals, is super important,” Rojas said. “The experience, you can’t teach it. You got know it so, hopefully, they understand when we get back next year, because we’ve got a young team. I’ve got girls to replace our seniors. They’re waiting in the making and I have a feeling we’re going to get back here.”

Westmont, which tied for fourth place in the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s Mount Hamilton Division, closed its season with its fourth straight win, three of which were decided by one run. It has been a testing, emotional season for the Warriors, who dealt with the midseason death of beloved junior-varsity coach Jim “Jefe” Marquez, an integral part of the program.

Similar to the Mariners, the Warriors are also dealing with a young roster. They started just two seniors. The Warriors got hot at the right time with Steele working in the circle.

“It’s definitely a 10 out of 10,” said Steele, of her excitement level. “I knew we could do it, but there was a lot of pressure and stuff. We didn’t know anything about Aptos going in, and we had a really close semifinal game, 2-1, super stressful, so we were really nervous coming into this. To just take it home and be the first is just really exciting.”

It was Westmont’s fifth CCS final appearance. They lost to Watsonville in 2021 and Notre Dame-Salinas in ’23, both in D-I.

Bryce Hadley, the Warriors’ 11th year head coach, praised his prayers for their growth, especially his winning pitcher, who struck out nine Mariners.

“She got better as the season went on and she was at her best in the last three games,” Hadley said. “Couple of rough spots today, but, man, that kid has grown tremendously since her freshman year. And I told her, ‘There have been a lot of good Westmont pitchers, but you’re the only one who has ever done this.’ That’s a hell of an accomplishment.”

Westmont had runners in scoring position in each of the first two innings but Aptos gained some momentum despite playing with its back against the wall.

“I think it all came down, this game, to our energy,” said Bailey Fulton, the Mariners’ senior shortstop. “We just never let our energy drop. I think we could’ve had it.”

The Warriors looked to score on a sacrifice fly from Lily Ortiz in the first inning, but base runner Marina Li was called out after she was ruled to have left third base before Mariners outfielder Kailani Aguayo made the putout in center field.

In the second, Westmont’s Melia Andrade hit a leadoff double and Lucky Felder reached on a dropped fly ball in left field. Najera-White recorded a key strikeout for the first out, and second baseman Nova Neu snared a line drive from Maddie Crowley and threw to first baseman Lilly McGee to double off Felder, who was too far off the base.

Felder atoned for her base running error an inning later, when she smacked a two-run double to drive in pinch runner Kaia Costa and Andrade. Kristen Jahiro and Sophia Burich also scored for the aggressive Warriors, who stole three bases in the frame and finished with five steals.

Najera-White retired the side in order in the fourth and kept the Warriors off the scoreboard the rest of the way, but she had some help on defense. Fulton, who will compete for Cabrillo College next season, made a full sprint, lunging grab on a line drive up the middle, and recorded all three putouts in the fifth to help strand two runners in scoring position. On one grounder, Fulton’s plant foot lost traction on the turf, but she gathered herself and fired a bullet to her fully extended first baseman for the out in the nick of time.

In the sixth, McGee made a sliding catch on a bunt by Westmont’s Maddie Crowley while nearly colliding with third baseman Mackenzie Lashley, and Mariners catcher Gwen Vaca threw out a would-be base stealer.

Aptos finished with eight hits against Steele, four of which went for extra bases. Vaca hit doubled with two out in the fifth to drive in Izzy Baker, who reached on a bunt single. Vaca moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Emma Burgueno’s single up the middle. Westmont’s Crowley made a diving stop on Burgueno’s hit, but the ball popped out of her glove.

Neu drew the Mariners’ lone walk with one out in the sixth, moved to third on Kalina Healy’s double, and scored on pinch hitter Lanies Nunez’s fly out to right field.

The Mariners are excited to get at least one more game together to continue to bond and build.

“We definitely have bonded this year, more than we have in past years,” Fulton said. “These friendships will definitely last a lifetime. Our young girls have hot bats and they help us bring the energy.”