Junior Nova Neu doubled and homered for Aptos High’s softball team, and the No. 3 seed Mariners made quick work of No. 6 Palo Alto in Central Coast Section Division I quarterfinals.
Four Santa Cruz County high school softball teams — Aptos, Soquel, SLV and Watsonville — qualified for the Central Coast Section playoffs, which begin with Saturday’s quarterfinals.
Junior right-hander Gabe Gaeckle struck out 16 batters in five innings of work, and Aptos High’s baseball beat visiting Burlingame 10-0 in a nonleague game called after six innings on the mercy rule Saturday.