Three outs away from clinching a perfect record during the first half of the Western Athletic Conference season, Ceres High School's varsity softball team fell apart.
Central Catholic took advantage of four Bulldog errors in the last inning and rallied for a stunning 7-2 victory on Thursday in Ceres.
The loss snapped Ceres High's 10-game winning streak.
"The girls are pretty bummed about it," Bulldogs head coach Donnie Donaldson said. "The good thing is we're where we want to be. We're in first place in league."
Ceres High dropped to 11-4 on the year and 5-1 in the WAC.
The second-place Raiders improved to 7-6-1 and 4-2.
Ceres High and Los Banos hold a one-game lead over Central Catholic and Livingston in the conference standings.
Bulldog pitcher Kaycee Creek carried a one-hit shutout into the final inning against the Raiders. Central Catholic proceeded to score seven times. Just one of the runs was earned.
"It got ugly quick," said Donaldson, who pointed out his team hadn't allowed a single run during its previous 13 innings of play.
Creek tallied five strikeouts and just one walk.
Central Catholic pitcher Gia Rodoni allowed six hits and struck out eight.
Creek, Cierra Hammons and Laura Story all singled.
Alexis Cummings batted 1-for-2 with two RBIs.
Kassandra Carrillo finished 2-for-3.
Ceres High grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning
Hammons singled and was replaced by courtesy runner Jayme Langon. Langon advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Cummings' hit up the middle.
The Bulldogs went ahead 2-0 in the sixth inning.
Creek singled, tallied two steals and scored on Cummings' squeeze bunt.
Bulldogs crush Wolves
Ceres High pounded 10 hits during its 8-0 win over previously-unbeaten Livingston on Tuesday, April 3 in Ceres.
Jessica Ellsworth went 3-for-4 with one homer, one RBI and two runs. She blasted a solo shot over the center-field fence in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Creek doubled and scored twice in three at-bats.
Cummings batted 1-for-3 with a double and three RBIs.
Hammons batted 2-for-2 with one RBI.
Langon scored two runs.
Camrynn Broumas had a single and a run.
"That's been our strong suit," Donaldson said. "Being able to hit the ball."
Ceres High will play in the Sixth-Annual Nor Cal Classic Softball Tournament this week.
The Bulldogs will face Escalon in the opening round on Thursday at the Tracy Sports Complex. The game will begin at 9 a.m.
Central Catholic took advantage of four Bulldog errors in the last inning and rallied for a stunning 7-2 victory on Thursday in Ceres.
The loss snapped Ceres High's 10-game winning streak.
"The girls are pretty bummed about it," Bulldogs head coach Donnie Donaldson said. "The good thing is we're where we want to be. We're in first place in league."
Ceres High dropped to 11-4 on the year and 5-1 in the WAC.
The second-place Raiders improved to 7-6-1 and 4-2.
Ceres High and Los Banos hold a one-game lead over Central Catholic and Livingston in the conference standings.
Bulldog pitcher Kaycee Creek carried a one-hit shutout into the final inning against the Raiders. Central Catholic proceeded to score seven times. Just one of the runs was earned.
"It got ugly quick," said Donaldson, who pointed out his team hadn't allowed a single run during its previous 13 innings of play.
Creek tallied five strikeouts and just one walk.
Central Catholic pitcher Gia Rodoni allowed six hits and struck out eight.
Creek, Cierra Hammons and Laura Story all singled.
Alexis Cummings batted 1-for-2 with two RBIs.
Kassandra Carrillo finished 2-for-3.
Ceres High grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning
Hammons singled and was replaced by courtesy runner Jayme Langon. Langon advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Cummings' hit up the middle.
The Bulldogs went ahead 2-0 in the sixth inning.
Creek singled, tallied two steals and scored on Cummings' squeeze bunt.
Bulldogs crush Wolves
Ceres High pounded 10 hits during its 8-0 win over previously-unbeaten Livingston on Tuesday, April 3 in Ceres.
Jessica Ellsworth went 3-for-4 with one homer, one RBI and two runs. She blasted a solo shot over the center-field fence in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Creek doubled and scored twice in three at-bats.
Cummings batted 1-for-3 with a double and three RBIs.
Hammons batted 2-for-2 with one RBI.
Langon scored two runs.
Camrynn Broumas had a single and a run.
"That's been our strong suit," Donaldson said. "Being able to hit the ball."
Ceres High will play in the Sixth-Annual Nor Cal Classic Softball Tournament this week.
The Bulldogs will face Escalon in the opening round on Thursday at the Tracy Sports Complex. The game will begin at 9 a.m.
