Qualifying for the NorCal playoffs for the first time since 1984, the No. 9 Rams finished their season last weekend against No. 8 Merced College, dropping two of three games in their first round regional matchup to the host Devils.

After scoring a 1-0 win in Game 1, Gavilan lost 3-0 and 13-2 in Games 2 and 3, respectively.

Despite the defeat, though, Gavilan's storybook season ended with a mark of 34-18 - a record-setting amount of victories for the Gavilan softball team.

"Making it to the regionals is just outstanding for this group of ladies," manager Nikki Dequin said. "It's only gonna make us stronger next year.

"It's tough to lose and it's tough to lose on the note that we did. But we made it so far. It's a great record. It's a great year."

Gavilan shed 24 years of rust in Game 1 on Saturday, as starting pitcher Danielle Hernandez pitched "her best game of the year," Dequin said. The Hollister hurler threw a two-hit complete-game shutout to keep Merced off the scoreboard, and paced the Rams to a narrow 1-0 victory.

Although Gavilan supplied just two hits of offense, they took advantage of an illegal pitch from Merced in the second inning.

After Amanda Rosevear doubled, the illegal move - where the pitcher neglected to throw from the rubber - allowed Rosevear to move to third base, and Audra Brown hit a sacrifice fly to right field to plate the game's only run.

"It was a great game. It was what a college softball game should be," Dequin said.

Dequin noted that the Rams came out a little tense in Game 2, however, while Merced's Megan McColloch pitched a three-hit shutout to lead the Devils to a 3-0 win and even the series at one game apiece.

Rosevear and Jennifer Sherratt combined for Gavilan's four hits, and on the mound, Hernandez allowed three runs on seven hits over six innings of work.

"We couldn't come through with the clutch hit when we needed it," Dequin said.

Game 3 was a shortened five-inning affair, as Merced plated six runs in the second inning and held on for the deciding 13-2 victory. Cristine Vasquez (3 IP, 10 runs, 9 hits, 5 BB) and Hernandez (1 IP, 3 runs, 2 hits) were on the hill for the Rams.

Dequin said she tried to mix it up by starting Vasquez on the mound, but defensively, "we did not back up our pitchers," as the Rams committed six errors.

Merced advances to the second round of the NorCal playoffs where they'll play at top-seeded College of the Siskiyous.

Gavilan's season is complete, but Dequin is hoping what the Rams accomplished this year will only be a jumping-off point for next season.

"We need to take from all the positive things from this year and carry that into next year," she said. "The girls had a great year. It's something the school is not going to forget."

Game 1

GAV 010 000 0 - 1 2 0

MER 000 000 0 - 0 2 1

Game 2

GAV 000 000 0 - 0 4 2

MER 100 200 0 - 3 7 1

Game 3

GAV 020 00X X - 2 1 6

MER 262 3XX X - 13 11 2