Ceres High’s varsity baseball team beat former Valley Oak League rivals East Union and Manteca in non-conference play this past week.

The Bulldogs of the Western Athletic Conference improved to 6-2 on the year after rallying for an 8-4 win over East Union on Friday at Art McRae Field.

Ceres High erased a 4-1 deficit by scoring three runs in the bottom of the third inning, one in both the fourth and fifth, and two in the sixth.

“I’m proud of the way the kids battled back,” Ceres High head coach Clinton Goblirsch said. “We didn’t panic.”

The Bulldogs collected eight hits against the Lancers.

Adrian Lujan batted 3-for-3 with two RBIs and one run.

Blane Abeyta batted 1-for-3 with three runs and two stolen bases.

Ricky Lopez batted 1-for-2 with one RBI, two runs and one stolen base.

Haaydn Martinez collected one RBI and one run.

Austin Schmidt collected two RBIs.

Austin Kubala collected one RBI and one single.

Damion Reyes collected one double and one single.

Ismael Ontiveros tallied one run.

Kubala broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the fourth inning. His single scored Ontiveros from second base.

Nick Jones improved his pitching record to 2-1.

Jones had two strikeouts and two walks in 51/3 innings.

He allowed four runs and five hits.

Zach Kommavong earned a save in relief of Jones.

Kommavong surrendered no runs and no hits with two strikeouts and two walks in 12/3 innings.

Ceres High edged host Manteca 4-2 on March 15.

Martinez yielded two runs and seven hits with no strikeouts and one walk over five innings.

Haaydn induced 11 popouts.

“He did a great job working the strike zone and challenging their hitters,” Goblirsch said. “He had them off balance.”

Lopez converted his third save opportunity.

Ricky gave up two hits, struck out one and walked two while throwing two innings of relief.

Martinez drove in one run on offense.

Austin Schmidt batted 1-for-3 with two RBIs

Kubala batted 2-for-3 with one RBI.

Lujan batted 2-for-4 with one run.

Abeyta batted 1-for-2 with one run.

Reyes batted 1-for-3 with one run.

Lopez scored one run.

Kommavong and Ontiveros both singled.

Ceres High’s defense was perfect against East Union and Manteca.

The Bulldogs totaled seven errors in losses to Downey and Merced the previous week.

 “We played error-free ball,” Goblirsch said.