Ceres High School's varsity baseball team accomplished a first under fourth-year head coach John Bussard's guidance this past week.

The Bulldogs advanced past the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs, snapping a 25-year drought.

"That's the first time we've been out of the first round since 1990," Bussard said. "That's what I was told. Since I've been here, every time we've made it to the playoffs, the nerves got the best of us. We didn't perform the way we normally do. The kids stayed relaxed this year."

Third-seeded Ceres High topped No. 6 Galt 4-2 in the Division-IV bracket on Thursday at Lodi's Tony Zupo Field.

"We treated it like any other game," Bussard said.

Izaiah Hernandez led the way on offense, driving in a pair of runs and scoring twice.

Brad Bussard batted 3-for-3 with one RBI.

Brent Bussard batted 1-for-1 with one RBI.

Haaydn Martinez and Ricky Lopez both scored once.

Hernandez's two-run double gave the Bulldogs a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Martinez and Lopez accounted for Ceres High's runs.

Izaiah scored on Brad's hit in the third inning and Brent's sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.

Ceres High made just one error versus Galt.

"We played very good defense behind him (Ceres High pitcher Drew Stahl)," Bussard said. "Brent made three very nice catches in center field. We had timely hitting."

Stahl pitched a complete game.

Drew surrendered two runs, scattered nine hits, struck out seven and walked five in seven innings.

"He didn't have his best stuff on the mound," Bussard said. "But he never lost confidence."

The back-to-back Western Athletic Conference champion Bulldogs improved to 23-5 on the year and earned the right to face No. 2 Lincoln of Lincoln in a best-of-three series.