Ceres High’s first-place varsity softball team moved to 12-3 overall and 8-1 in the Western Athletic Conference this past week after winning two of three games.

“I like where we are,” Bulldogs’ head coach Mike Corsaut. “We’re still two games up on everybody. We control our own destiny. We got to make sure we don’t get complacent and lazy. We have to keep playing hard.”

Beyer snapped Ceres High’s 10-game unbeaten streak with a 2-1 win on Thursday in Ceres.

The Patriots (5-4) avenged a 5-2 loss.

“I got confidence in my girls,” Corsaut said. “We’ll be fine.”

The Bulldogs managed to collect just three hits versus the Patriots.

Beyer’s Paige Fisher struck out 13 Ceres High batters.

She had 15 strikeouts during the first meeting.

“Good pitching negates good hitting,” Corsaut said. 

Ceres High freshman pitcher Megan Yorba had seven strikeouts. 

“She (Yorba) threw well enough to win,” Corsaut said. “We just didn’t get enough hits.”

The Bulldogs led 1-0 through five innings.

The Patriots scored both of their runs in the top of the sixth inning.

“Beyer is playing some good softball right now,” Corsaut said. 

Ceres High shut out host Lathrop 13-0 in five innings on April 9.

Bulldog freshman Brooklyn Heffernan tossed a no-hitter.

She retired seven of the 15 batters she faced via strikeout.

“She almost pitched a no-hitter,” Corsaut said.

Heffernan also helped her own cause by collecting two RBIs on offense.

Shania Evans batted 3-for-4 with one triple, two RBIs and two runs.

Priscilla Chavez batted 1-for-3 with one triple, two RBIs and two runs.

Peyton Phillips batted 1-for-1 with three runs.

Rebecca DeLeon batted 2-for-4 with one double, one RBI and one run.

Isabel Vizcaino batted 1-for-1 with one double and two RBIs. 

Vianney Perez batted 2-for-3 with two runs.

Gabrielle Ramirez batted 0-for-2 with one RBI and two runs.

Angelique Cochran scored one run.

Yorba and Cheralyn Durossette both singled.

Ceres High defeated visiting Mountain House 15-5 in six innings on April 8.

The Bulldogs batted 14-for-31 from the plate as a team.

“We were hitting the ball all over the place,” Corsaut said. “We were dialed in.”

Chavez batted 3-for-4 with one triple, one double, three RBIs and one run.

DeLeon batted 3-for-3 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs.

Ramirez batted 1-for-4 with one homer, three RBIs and one run.

Durossette batted 3-for-4 with three RBIs.

Heffernan batted 1-for-4 with two RBIs and one run.

Perez batted 1-for-4 with one RBI and two runs.

Evans batted 1-for-3 with one double and one run.

Vizcaino tallied three runs.

Lysaida Munoz chipped in with one single and one run.

Yorba, Phillips and Joslyn Knight all scored once.

DeLeon totaled eight strikeouts during her four innings of work at pitcher.

She gave up just two earned runs and four hits.

 “Rebecca did a great job,” Corsaut said. 

Ceres High will play Johansen and Pacheco this week.

“There are a lot of good coaches and players in the WAC,” Corsaut said. “That’s good for the league. It will help us out when we get to playoffs.”

BASEBALL

Central Valley’s youth-laden varsity baseball team has struggled during its first season in the Central California Conference.

“Every game, there is one thing we can point to, and say that’s what we need to fix,” head coach Derrick Goblirsch said. “It comes down to staying focused and minimizing mistakes.”

The Hawks dropped to 7-12 overall and 1-7 in the CCC standing this past week after getting swept by Merced.

“It’s been difficult,” Goblirsch said. “The competition every week is higher than it was in the WAC. It’s a step up in intensity. It’s constant pressure. That’s something all of our guys are struggling with.”

Central Valley suffered its eighth-consecutive loss on Thursday, falling 9-5 to Merced in Ceres.

The Hawks made four errors on defense.

“In the CCC, if you make mistakes, teams will bury you,” Goblirsch said. 

Central Valley’s Alex Solis starred on offense.

He batted 3-for-3 from the plate with one homer, four RBIs and one run.

Angel Porras collected one RBI and one run.

Sergio Solis and Derek Bolivar both singled and scored once.

Joseph Mendez had one run.

Adrian Garcia singled.

Alex Solis (2-6) turned in a respectable performance at pitcher.

He allowed one earned run, scattered seven hits and struck out seven batters in four innings.

Central Valley cut a six-run deficit to one in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Merced put the game out of reach by scoring three runs in the top of the sixth inning.

Host Merced pulled away for a 7-1 win over Central Valley on April 9.

The Bears scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

“Every game, one inning really messes us up,” Goblirsch said. “You have to stay focused for seven innings.”

Hawk freshman pitcher Gabrial Lopez gave up seven runs and six hits with eight strikeouts and three walks in 42/3 innings.

Lopez batted 2-for-3 from the plate with one RBI.

Alex Solis batted 2-for-2 with one double and one run.

Porras, Garcia, Ryan Palecek and Isaiah Hidalgo all singled.

Central Valley collected eight hits during the game, but also struck out nine times.

The Hawks have six underclassmen in their starting lineup.

“While it is a tough league, our youth shows,” Goblirsch said.

The Hawks will try to snap their eight-game winless streak this week.

Central Valley will play Patterson twice.

The Hawks will compete on the road against the Tigers this Thursday at 4 p.m.

“The guys are motivated,” Goblirsch said. “They know this isn’t good and we have to keep trying to get better.”