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Ceres High improves its all-time record versus Central Valley in softball to 17-0
rayohna.tiff
Sophomore Rayohna Sagapolu tossed a no-hitter during the Ceres High varsity softball teams 13-1 victory over host Central Valley this past week. Sagapolu tallied nine strikeouts and two walks in seven innings. The Hawks scored their lone run off an error.

Two days removed from suffering a stunning 6-4 loss at home to Los Banos, Ceres High's varsity softball team returned to its winning ways by routing crosstown-rival Central Valley 13-1 on the road.

The Bulldogs improved to 12-4 overall and 4-1 in the Western Athletic Conference following their lopsided victory over the Hawks (4-9, 0-5) on Thursday.

Los Banos overcame a four-run deficit while snapping Ceres High's 15-game unbeaten streak in WAC play on March 24. The Bulldogs won all 12 of their conference games en route to a first-place finish last season.

"The pressure is off us to go undefeated," Ceres High head coach Angela Durossette said. "It would have been nice. We're not perfect."


Bulldog sophomore Rayohna Sagapolu pitched a no-hitter against the Hawks.

She had nine strikeouts and two walks in seven innings.

"Ray did great," Durossette said. "She stepped up."

"Words can't describe it," Sagapolu added. "I had some strikeouts. But my defense was key. You have to trust your defense."

Ceres High tallied 13 runs on 14 hits and four errors.

The Bulldogs scored two runs in the top of the first inning, four in both the second and third, and three in the seventh.

Sagapolu batted 3-for-5 from the plate with one double, two RBIs and three runs.

Mahlena O'Neal batted 2-for-4 with one double, four RBIs and one run.

Nicole Bates batted 2-for-3 with one double, three RBIs and three runs.

Mackenzie Veuve batted 2-for-4 with three RBIs and one run.

Callie Nunes batted 2-for-3 with two runs.

Ali Lowman batted 1-for-1 with one run.

Sabrina Baisdon singled twice.

"Everybody had an opportunity to get an at-bat," Durossette said.

Elisa Sen accounted for CV School's lone run when she scored off an error in the bottom of the third inning.

Central Valley scored its lone run off an error in the bottom of the third inning.

Hawk pitcher Jessica Alvarez surrendered 13 runs (two earned), struck out none and walked four over seven innings.

Central Valley centerfielder Yescenia Godinez robbed Sagapolu of a 2-run homer while crashing into the fence in the top of the fifth inning.

"It was a nice catch," Rayohna said with a smile on her face. "You can't do anything about it."

Ceres High squandered a 4-0 lead against Los Banos.

The Bulldogs took care of business against the upset-minded Hawks.

"We were confident," Sagapolu said. "We knew what the job was and got it done. We had to bounce back from the loss. We had to do better. We tried to minimize our mistakes."

Ceres High improved its all-time record versus Central Valley to 17-0.

"We don't bring it up," Durossette said. "We're expected to win this game."

"We're keeping the tradition going," Sagapolu said.