The Ceres Blaze 14-and-under travel baseball team battled back from the loser's bracket on its way to claiming the West Zone-Central Valley Region Pony Sectional banner earlier this month at Bel Passi.
"The kids went out there and made it happen," head coach Randy Brekke said. "They were focused."
The Blaze compiled a 4-1 record and earned the right to compete at Regionals this weekend in Los Altos. Ceres reeled off three straight wins to avoid elimination.
The Blaze defeated the Brentwood Blast 5-1 in the title game on Sunday, July 10.
Alan Marquez and Kendel Johnson both pitched and starred on offense.
Marquez struck out nine batters in four innings and batted 3-for-4 from the plate with one RBI and two runs.
Johnson tallied four strikeouts in three innings. Kendel singled and scored once.
Christian Schneider collected two hits and two RBIs.
Frankie Calderon and Cooper Gipp each drove in one run.
Ceres posted an impressive 12-1 victory over the Blast in the championship round earlier in the day.
Schneider was the winning pitcher. Christian had five strikeouts in four innings.
He also chipped in on offense with one hit, one RBI and one run.
Johnson finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs.
Andrew Brekke, Derek Avila and Josh Back contributed one RBI apiece.
The Blaze shut out Brentwood #2 10-0 in five innings.
Pack pitched a complete game. He struck out six batters in five innings.
Marquez, Brekke, Schneider and Tyren Vargas plated two runs each.
Schneider fanned seven and allowed no runs while leading Ceres to a 7-1 win against Bel Passi in the opening round on July 8.
Vargas batted 2-for-3 with three RBIs and one run.
Johnson scored three times.
The Blaze dropped into the loser's bracket after falling 3-1 to the Blast on July 9.
Fernando Mota allowed just one earned run and struck out seven in six innings.
Johnson, Marquez, Gipp, Avila and Carlos Moreno all collected one hit.
Ceres advanced to Regionals in stunning fashion.
"It was quite a challenge to come in and have to win three games in one day," coach Brekke said. "The boys were tired to say the least but they played their hearts out and walked away as champions. "
"The kids went out there and made it happen," head coach Randy Brekke said. "They were focused."
The Blaze compiled a 4-1 record and earned the right to compete at Regionals this weekend in Los Altos. Ceres reeled off three straight wins to avoid elimination.
The Blaze defeated the Brentwood Blast 5-1 in the title game on Sunday, July 10.
Alan Marquez and Kendel Johnson both pitched and starred on offense.
Marquez struck out nine batters in four innings and batted 3-for-4 from the plate with one RBI and two runs.
Johnson tallied four strikeouts in three innings. Kendel singled and scored once.
Christian Schneider collected two hits and two RBIs.
Frankie Calderon and Cooper Gipp each drove in one run.
Ceres posted an impressive 12-1 victory over the Blast in the championship round earlier in the day.
Schneider was the winning pitcher. Christian had five strikeouts in four innings.
He also chipped in on offense with one hit, one RBI and one run.
Johnson finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs.
Andrew Brekke, Derek Avila and Josh Back contributed one RBI apiece.
The Blaze shut out Brentwood #2 10-0 in five innings.
Pack pitched a complete game. He struck out six batters in five innings.
Marquez, Brekke, Schneider and Tyren Vargas plated two runs each.
Schneider fanned seven and allowed no runs while leading Ceres to a 7-1 win against Bel Passi in the opening round on July 8.
Vargas batted 2-for-3 with three RBIs and one run.
Johnson scored three times.
The Blaze dropped into the loser's bracket after falling 3-1 to the Blast on July 9.
Fernando Mota allowed just one earned run and struck out seven in six innings.
Johnson, Marquez, Gipp, Avila and Carlos Moreno all collected one hit.
Ceres advanced to Regionals in stunning fashion.
"It was quite a challenge to come in and have to win three games in one day," coach Brekke said. "The boys were tired to say the least but they played their hearts out and walked away as champions. "
