Ceres High’s softball team kept its Western Athletic Conference championship hopes alive this past week.
The Bulldogs remained in a first-place tie atop the WAC standings with Los Banos and Mountain House after winning a pair of games.
“We’re right where we need to be,” head coach Mike Corsaut said. “If we win out, we’ll be league champs. That’s what we expect to be all the time.”
Ceres High improved to 9-8 overall and 8-1 in conference play following Thursday’s 8-2 victory at Beyer.
Bulldog Alizae Cole improved her record at pitcher to 7-5. She had six strikeouts and no walks versus the Patriots. Cole gave up one earned run and four hits in seven innings.
Ceres High pounded 12 hits on offense.
Cole batted 1-for-3 from the plate with one run.
Ava Montesdeoca batted 3-for-4 with one homer, two RBIs and two runs.
Illianna Saldana batted 2-for-3 with one triple, two RBIs and one run.
Nani Sagapolu batted 1-for-4 with one double and three RBIs.
Ceres High defeated host Lathrop 7-2 on April 16.
Cole allowed one earned run and two hits with five strikeouts and one walk.
The Bulldogs collected 10 hits.
Saldana batted 2-for-3 with one triple, two runs and one RBI.
Elizabeth Figueroa batted 3-for-4 with two RBIs.
Kyleigh Robinson batted 1-for-3 with one triple, one RBI and one run.
Hawk fall twice
Central Valley’s softball team opened the second half of Central California Conference play with back-to-back losses this past week.
The Hawks fell to 7-13 overall and 2-5 in the CCC after losing 5-4 in extra innings to Atwater on April 19.
Central Valley dropped to fifth place in the league standings. The Falcons (10-10, 7-1) remained in first place.
Hawk pitcher Brooklynn Steeley (6-9) allowed four earned runs and nine hits with one strikeout and no walks in eight innings.
She collected two singles on offense.
Central Valley’s Gabriela Delatorre batted 1-for-3 from the plate with one homer, one RBI and one run.
Valerie Espinoza batted 1-for-4 with one triple and two RBIs.
Atwater battled back from 2-0 and 4-3 deficits during the game.
“We couldn’t close it out,” Bates said.
Central Valley lost 7-4 at fourth-place Merced on April 17.
Jannet Valencia (1-4) gave up three earned runs and three hits with three strikeouts and one walk at pitcher.
Valencia batted 2-for-4 with one run.
Herrera batted 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs against the Bears (9-9-1, 5-3).
Valerie Espinoza batted 2-for-3 with one run.
BASEBALL
Ceres High’s baseball team faced its toughest test of the Western Athletic Conference season last week.
The Bulldogs dropped to third place in the WAC after being beaten twice by Los Banos.
Ceres High fell to 12-8 overall and 6-4 in league following its 3-2 loss to the Tigers on April 19.
Los Banos (12-6, 8-2) moved into a tie for first place atop the conference standings (14-8, 8-2).
Bulldog pitcher Vincent Castrejon gave up two earned runs and eight hits with four strikeouts and no walks during Game 2 of the WAC series.
Ceres High’s David Diaz De Leon batted 1-for-2 from the plate with one double, one RBI and one run.
Daniel Davis batted 3-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
Castrejon scored one run.
Ceres High had its six-game winning streak snapped with a 4-0 loss to Los Banos on April 17 at Art McRae Field.
Bulldog ace pitcher Brayden Clark allowed just one earned run and five hits with eight strikeouts and one walk.
Ceres High made four errors in defeat.
The Bulldogs also managed to collected just three hits.
Bowen, Castrejon and Davis all singled.
Patterson tops CV
Central Valley’s baseball team dropped from second to fourth in the Central California Conference standings last week after getting swept by Patterson.
The Tigers edged the visiting Hawks 1-0 on April 18.
The third-place Hawks fell to 10-13 overall and 4-4 in the CCC.
The first-place Tigers improved to 12-5-1 and 6-2.
Central Valley, Merced and Atwater are battling for the conference’ third playoff spot.
“We’ve put ourselves in a good position,” said Coach Brad Bussard. “We control our own destiny.”
Central Valley senior Edmund Stewart made his first start at pitcher. He allowed one earned run and three hits with three strikeouts and one walk in six innings.
“He did everything and more than I was expecting. He was confident on the mound. He threw strikes. His defense played well behind him. We couldn’t get the job done, offensively.”
Stewart batted 1-for-2 from the plate on offense.
Edgar Peralta batted 2-for-4 with one double.
Mason Whitworth batted 1-for-3.
Central Valley lost 13-2 to Patterson in six innings on April 16 in Ceres.
