Central Valley’s softball team wrapped up its season on the road earlier this month.

Fourth-seeded Ceres High will host 13th-seeded Los Banos in the opening round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-IV Playoffs today at 4 p.m.

The Bulldogs amassed an 18-9 overall record and finished in a three-way tie for first place in the Western Athletic Conference standings with Beyer and Livingston during the regular season.

The Tigers (10-14, 6-9) took fourth in the Central California Conference.

“We’re not done,” Ceres High head coach Josie Heacox said. “We want to go past first round of playoffs.”

Central Valley ended the year with a 10-6 loss to host Atwater in non-league play on May 2.

The Hawks compiled a 13-14 overall record and placed fourth in the WAC with a 7-7 mark this year.

Central Valley finished 9-16 and fifth in the CCC (4-8) last spring.

Atwater (21-7, 12-3) took second in the CCC a year ago.

The Falcons qualified for Division-II Playoffs this spring.

“I feel we’re capable of more,” Central Valley head coach Jimmy Bates said. “We need the girls to believe in themselves.”

“But we have to put things in perspective,” he added. “This is the second most wins CV has had in school history. Definitely progress.”

The Hawks totaled eight hits during their season finale.

Gabriela Delatorre batted 3-for-4 from the plate with one double, two RBIs, one run and one stolen base.

Reylena Herrera batted 1-for-3 with one double, one RBI and two runs.

Alicia Espinoza batted 1-for-2 with one run.

Madelyn Morales tallied one run and one stolen base.

Selene Valencia doubled.

Brooklynn Steeley chipped in with one single and two stolen bases.

Delatorre started at pitcher.

She yielded six earned runs and seven with one strikeout and two walks in six innings.

Central Valley led 3-1 through three innings of play against Atwater.

The Falcons outscored the Hawks 9-3 the rest of the game.

Four of Atwater’s 10 runs were unearned as Central Valley committed seven errors.

Central Valley will lose just one player to graduation in Destiny Herrera.

She batted .217 on the year with two doubles, 10 runs and seven RBIs on the year.

“We’ll get to bring back the same nucleus minus Destiny Herrera,” Bates said. “She played every inning for us in centerfield. She was made up of heart and hustle. We’ll miss that spark plug next year.”

Bass (Jr.), Delatorre (Jr.), Steeley (So.), Morales (Fr.), Selene Valencia (Fr.), Reylena Herrera (So.), Alicia Espinoza (Jr.), Abigail Krauss (Jr.), KaDynce Piceno (Jr.), Alayah Villa (Jr.), Valerie Espinoza (So.),  Valeria Padilla (So.) and Monster Prudhel (Fr.) could return to the team in 2026.

Villa batted .455 on the year with three RBIs and 17 runs.

Valencia batted .438 with three doubles, nine RBIs and eight runs.

Delatorre batted .385 with one homer, two triples, 11 doubles, 29 RBIs, 29 runs and nine stolen bases.

Steeley batted .384 with two homers, nine doubles, 10 RBIs and 10 runs.

Reylena Herrera batted .361 with one homer, two triples, nine doubles, 20 RBIs, 33 runs and eight stolen bases.

Prudhel batted .339 with four doubles, 10 RBIs and 10 runs.

Morales batted .333 with two triples, eight doubles, 10 RBIs, 27 runs and eight stolen bases.

Krauss batted .275 with one homer, seven doubles, 24 RBIs and 22 runs.

Piceno batted .263 with four RBIs and six runs.

Valerie Espinoza batted .261 with three doubles, 21 RBIs, 22 runs and 11 stolen bases.

Alicia Espinoza batted .250 with four doubles, six RBIs and 12 runs.

Bass batted .235 with one double, two RBIs, 17 runs and seven stolen bases.

Padilla batted .211 with four RBIs and five runs.

The Hawks had a team batting average of .320.

Central Valley outscored its opponents, 224-184.

The Hawks made 93 errors on defense.

“We’re a young team,” Bates said. “Seven of our 13 players are underclassmen. We have four sophomores and three freshmen.” 

“The program is building,” he added. “Nothing happens overnight.”