a day ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Granada's Delaney Aumua caps record-setting career with softball All-Metro POY award
Everyone loves the long ball, and Granada-Livermore senior first baseman Delaney Aumua is no exception. She just has mastered the skill better than anyone else in Bay Area high school softball history.
'It's the greatest feeling in the world, quite honestly,' she said of hitting a home run.
The Auburn-bound slugger blasted a North Coast Section-record 19 home runs in 2025, bettering the previous single-season mark of 15 set by Alhambra-Martinez's Kylie Perez in 2012 and giving Aumua a Bay Area record of 47 career homers.
She broke the Metro career record of 44 by St. Francis' Jessica Oakland (2019-22), and the NCS mark of 42 by Perez (2011-14), according to Cal-Hi Sports.
But Granada coach Johnny Heinz said Aumua is far from a one-skill, long-ball wonder, calling her the 'best (overall) hitter I've seen in 26 years of coaching. She's an absolutely phenomenal player, great defensively and a pleasure to coach.'
All of it makes the soft-spoken 18-year-old a runaway choice as the Chronicle's 2025 Metro Softball Player of the Year.
'As great a softball player as she is, she's 10 times a better person,' Heinz said. 'The kids love her.'
Opposing pitchers probably aren't so fond and are likely glad she has graduated after four productive, consistent seasons in the East Bay Athletic League — arguably the Bay Area's most competitive conference. The Matadors were a combined 73-32 in her four seasons.
Aumua's batting averages from her freshman to senior seasons: .406, .443, .362 and .476. Her RBI totals: 33, 30, 30, 33. Her home runs: 10, eight, 10 and 19.
What was just as impressive was her pitch selection: This season she walked 28 times and struck out twice.
None of her numbers, including the record-breaking power, happened by accident.
Beyond almost a decade of travel ball, personal trainers and batting coaches, she credits her faith and large immediate and extended family for supplying her with love and a competitive edge to excel.
'It's really just the result of all the work,' Aumua said. 'All the early mornings, all the running and training and trusting the process. There's a lot of blood, sweat and tears that goes into it, and all the support of everyone over a long period of time.'
She can't wait for her new adventure in the South, where she took summer recruiting trips between travel ball games for the Lady Magic out of Sacramento.
Aumua had offers from more than a dozen major colleges, including UCLA, Washington, Georgia, Oregon, LSU and Minnesota, but picked Auburn largely because the town of 76,000 in Lee County near Georgia, reminded her a little bit of Livermore (population 88,000).
'It just felt the same and it felt right,' she said.
Similar to the same feeling she gets when a pitch hits her bat in the sweet spot and goes over the fence.
'It will be somewhat bittersweet leaving home,' Aumua said. 'But I look forward to experiencing a new culture, a new coaching staff and teammates.'
She plans to play one more summer with the Lady Magic and also coach a youth T-ball team in the Livermore Girls Softball Association, the same organization that groomed her.
'I just want to help little girls start their journey at the same place I started mine,' she said.
