No longer in the same league due to the Sac-Joaquin Section’s realignment plan, Central Valley’s and Ceres High’s varsity baseball teams opted to keep their annual crosstown matchup alive.

“It’s nice to compete against them,” Hawks’ head coach Derrick Goblirsch said. “The kids enjoy it. More people from the community want to watch that game. I’ll definitely keep putting them on our schedule.”

The Hawks and Bulldogs played twice in a three-day span.

Central Valley won both non-conference games.

“It gives us momentum early in the season,” Hawks’ head coach Derrick Goblirsch said. 

Central Valley defeated Ceres High 6-3 at Art McRae Field on Feb. 18.

Hawk freshman pitcher Gabrial Lopez surrendered just one earned run and five hits with seven strikeouts and four walks in 62/3 innings.

Bulldog starting pitcher Michael Aveytia earned a no-decision. He yielded no earned runs and two hits with five strikeouts and one walk in two innings.

Central Valley batted .321 from the plate as a team versus Ceres High.

Isaiah Hidalgo finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs and one run.

Lopez finished 1-for-3 with one RBI and one run.

Ancel Cruzes finished 1-for-2 with one RBI and one run.

Angel Vega finished 2-for-3 with one run.

Joseph Mendez finished 1-for-4 with one RBI.

Sergio Solis finished 1-for-4 with one run.

Adrian Garcia scored once.

Ceres High hit just .160 (4-for-25) as a team.

Aveytia finished 3-for-3 with two doubles, one RBI and one run.

Josh Pernetti finished 1-for-3 with one RBI.

Justin Prestridge and Brock DeWitt both scored once.

Central Valley rallied for a 7-6 win over visiting Ceres High on Feb 23.

Lopez drove in the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Tarap scored from third base on Lopez’s infield single.

“Gabrial’s had a lot of success playing travel ball,” Goblirsch said. “He’s been in these moments before.”

Solis pitched a complete game.

He allowed two earned runs and scattered nine hits with eight strikeouts.

“Once he settled in, he pounded the zone, and we made plays for him,” Goblirsch said.

Bulldog starting pitcher Caleb Cannella earned a no-decision.

He gave up five runs and four hits with seven strikeouts and five walks in five innings.

Central Valley and Ceres High collected nine and eight hits, respectively.

The Hawks had a host of contributors on offense, including Lopez, Tarap, Mendez, Vega, Cruzes, Alex Solis and Sergio Solis.

Lopez singled twice and plated one run.

Tarap singled and scored twice.

Alex Solis chipped in with one double, one RBI and one run.

Younger brother Sergio Solis batted 1-for-4 with one RBI and one run.

Mendez batted 1-for-2 with two RBIs and one run.

Vega batted 2-for-3 with one run.

Cruzes knocked in one run.

Ceres High’s Efrain Brito batted 1-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.

Prestridge batted 2-for-3 with one double and two RBIs.

Brock Moore batted 1-for-1 with two RBIs.

Pernetti batted 1-for-4 with one RBI and one run.

DeWitt batted 3-for-4 with one double and one run.

Central Valley trailed 6-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.

“We battled back one inning at a time,” he said. 

The Bulldogs are coached by Clinton Goblirsch, Derrick’s older brother.