The Sac-Joaquin Section finally released its softball playoff brackets this past weekend and there is going to be plenty of action this week with Vacaville and Vanden earning home games.
With the Golden State Warriors in a tight series against Minnesota and the NHL playoffs in the quarterfinals, it can be a lot to gauge on where to be and when to sit in front of a television. That’s why this week’s Thomas Guide will direct you just where to be and when.
Local softball
Vacaville received the No. 4 seed in Division II and will host No. 13 Tokay on Wednesday. If you like offense this is a team to show up for. The Bulldogs average 13 hits and nearly 12 runs a game.
Leading the way offensively are seniors Hayden Kyne and Paige Witte, who have collected 43 and 37 hits, respectively. Kyne is headed to play college ball at Notre Dame in the fall.
If you can’t make it to Vacaville, then maybe show up for Vanden, which drew the No. 2 seed in Division III and will host No. 15 Christian Brothers at the same time (4 p.m.) on Wednesday. The Vikings enter the postseason as one of the hottest teams in the SJS, having won 13 straight games.
Buckingham Charter will also get a home playoff game on Wednesday, facing No. 14 Golden Sierra as the No. 3 seed in Division VI.
If one wants to see Will C. Wood or Vacaville Christian play the same day, you’ll have to add some gas miles in your vehicle. Wood plays at East Union in Division IV play, while Vacaville Christian is at Delta Charter, but on Tuesday.
NBA playoffs
It wasn’t the greatest week overall for Bay Area teams playing in Minnesota. The San Francisco Giants were swept by the Twins and the Warriors have lost two in a row at the time of this writing to the Timberwolves.
But despite Steph Curry not being able to play in the playoffs and Draymond Green acting like he doesn’t want to play and instead be fined, the Warriors are somehow still alive.
Golden State played Monday night at home against Minnesota, but even if it lost, Game 5 is still set in the Twin Cities on Wednesday. If a Game 6 is necessary it would be played at the Chase Center on Saturday, although a game time hasn’t been determined yet.
If Curry isn’t able to come back from his injury, the Warriors are likely to lose this series. If he does come back, it’s anyone’s series.
New York shocked everyone by winning the first two games in Boston, but then the Celtics rebounded to take Game 3 over the weekend. Game 4 was Monday and if the Celtics tied up the series up then Wednesday’s Game 5 will be huge. If the Celtics lost on Monday, then a Wednesday win may just be delaying the inevitable for the Celtics.
Indiana is up 3-1 over top-seeded Cleveland, but the Cavaliers can gain some life in the series with a Tuesday win. However, Indiana has looked like the better team in this series.
If Indiana and New York each win their series, then the two will play each other in the semifinals. Whether or not Spike Lee would sit next to Reggie Miller is another question.
Despite Denver getting a new coach recently, the Nuggets are still alive while playing top-seeded Oklahoma City, with the series tied at 2-all. Game 5 is Tuesday.
NHL playoffs
The Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets continue their series on Tuesday, with Dallas looking to gain a 3-1 advantage and the Jets trying to tie it up and get back home-ice advantage. The two teams would play Game 5 on Thursday and if necessary, Game 6 on Saturday.
The Edmonton Oilers’ series against the Las Vegas Knights has been epic so far, with Edmonton stealing two games on the road, only to see Vegas win Game 3 with under a second left in regulation. Yes, less than a second. The squads faced off in Game 4 on Monday night, but will continue the series in Las Vegas for Game 5 on Wednesday.
Carolina and Washington played Monday night, but no matter what happens the squads will face off in the nation’s capitol on Thursday.
Florida is looking to become the first team to repeat since 2021, when the Tampa Bay Lightning won two years in a row. The Panthers have a lot of work in front of them, as they look to break Canada’s heart by beating the Maple Leafs. The series is tied at 2-2, with Toronto hosting Game 5 on Wednesday. This is can’t-miss action. Game 6 is scheduled for Friday, with a possible Game 7 on Sunday. Game 7s in the NHL playoffs are about as good as it gets in sports, so don’t make big plans this Sunday.
MLB
The Giants come back home starting Monday to play an important series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Or the Serpientes, with the team having a half dozen uniforms each week. Look, can we just put to rest the City Connect uniforms? Has anyone in the history of ever purchased one of these uniforms and said, “Hell yeah, I’m connected! To my city!”
No, but there is a 50/50 chance they are blind.
None of these uniforms, sans the White Sox or Angels, are decent. The Giants look like a creamsicle. The Dodgers look like pajamas. The Padres ones look they just got back from playing paintball … and lost. The Astros look like they’re trying to sell advertisements for Space Mountain. The Guardians just say the land, like it’s a freaking baseball team in the film, “Waterworld.” Half the other city connect jerseys are just abbreviations. Has anyone actually said, “Let’s go PGH” in the history of the Pittsburgh? Probably not.
The A’s are in Los Angeles this week so you can remember the 1988 World Series. Later in the week you can relive the 1989 World Series when the A’s play in San Francisco. Actually on second thought, let’s not do that. Something about a big earthquake doesn’t give me great nostalgia.
The weekend is part of what MLB is trying to do label as rivalry week. But come on, let’s just call it “Nearest City Week.” Any week in baseball that calls itself a rivalry week that doesn’t have Boston play the Yankees, the Dodgers play the Giants or the Cardinals and Cubs meet is just fooling itself.
However, it will be interesting to see the Mariners and Padres play, as well as the Royals and Cardinals meeting up 40 years after their great World Series in 1985. Plus, the Yankees and Mets play this week. I’m sure Juan Soto will make a lot of new friends.
Read
“Interstate ’85: The Royals, The Cardinals, and the Show-Me World Series” by Marshall Garvey
“Doc, Donnie, the Kid, and Billy Brawl” by Chris Donnelly