The article below originally appeared in the San Mateo Daily Journal and is being reprinted with permission.
Nicole Quigley-Borg
Another postseason run begins this week for the College of San Mateo softball team as the top-ranked Bulldogs look to go back-to-back and defend their 2025 state title.
CSM is the No. 1 seed for the 2026 Northern California Regional Playoffs and the Bulldogs will host No. 16 Lassen College in a best-of-three-game series beginning at 2 p.m. Friday. Game 2 is set for noon Saturday, with a third game, if necessary, to start at 2 p.m.
No. 16 Lassen put together a solid regular season in 2026, finishing in second place in the Golden Valley Conference at 15-5. The Cougars enter the weekend’s series with a 25-14 overall record.
San Mateo and Lassen have played twice this season. In a Feb. 18 doubleheader at home, the Bulldogs swept by scores of 6-0 and 10-2.
The winner of the opening series will advance to the Super Regionals on May 8-10. The Bulldogs are looking to return to the state championships for the 12th straight season and are in search of the program’s third state title.
The 3C2A State Championships are scheduled for May 14-17 in Bakersfield.
The Bulldogs wrapped up another impressive regular season under head coach Nicole Quigley-Borg, holding the top ranking in the state coaches poll throughout the entire season. TAhey captured their 11th Coast Conference championship in 13 seasons with a 13-1 mark and enters the postseason with an overall record of 37-1. The squad’s 37 wins are currently tied with Palomar College in Southern California for the most in the state this season.
2026 marks the 19th straight season the Bulldogs have reached the playoffs under Quigley-Borg. San Mateo has not lost a post-season game since the 2024 state finals.
