Ceres High’s varsity softball team tightened its grip on first place in the Western Athletic Conference last week after collecting wins against Grace Davis and Beyer.

The Bulldogs improved to 10-2 overall and 6-0 in the WAC with a thrilling 17-16 win over the Grace Davis Spartans on Thursday in Ceres.

Ceres High increased its lead to two games over second-place Grace Davis (9-5, 4-2) in the league standings.

“I’ve never been involved in a game like that,” head coach Mike Corsaut said. “It was crazy. The girls had fun. I was a nervous wreck.”

The Bulldogs and Spartans combined for 33 runs.

Ceres High totaled 19 hits.

“They’ve been doing that all year long,” Corsaut said.

Rebecca DeLeon batted 3-for-4 with two homers, one double, six RBIs and four runs.

Shania Evans batted 4-for-5 with two doubles, three RBIs and three runs.

Priscilla Chavez batted 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and one run.

Brooklyn Heffernan batted 2-for-4 with three runs.

Joslyn Knight batted 1-for-5 with one triple and three RBIs.

Cheralyn Durossette batted 1-for-5 with one homer, one RBI and two runs.

Megan Yorba was the winning pitcher. She gave up six earned runs and seven hits with four strikeouts and one walk in three innings.

There were five lead changes during the game.

“I knew it would be competitive,” Corsaut said. “But I didn’t expect it to be a football score.”

Yorba tallied a career-high 15 strikeouts and allowed just two hits in leading Ceres High past Beyer, 5-2, on April 1 in Modesto.

“That’s the best game she’s thrown this year,” Corsaut said. “We needed it.”

The Bulldogs managed to win despite striking out 15 times on offense. 

Evans batted 2-for-3 from the plate with two triples, two RBIs and one run.

Gabrielle Ramirez batted 1-for-3 with one triple and two RBIs.

Heffernan batted 1-for-4 with one RBI and one run.

Ceres High will host Beyer this Thursday at 4 p.m.

Falcons 10, Hawks 0

Central Valley’s varsity softball team lost via the mercy rule to Atwater last week.

The Falcons bested the visiting Hawks 10-0 in five innings on April 3.

“We are struggling right now, but we are optimistic the girls will find their confidence at batting and we will turn this season around,” head coach Regina Selfridge said. 

The last-place Hawks dropped to 5-9 overall and 0-5 in the Central California Conference standings.

The first-place Falcons improved to 10-3 and 4-0.

Central Valley won four of its first six preseason games.

The Hawks opened CCC play with five straight losses. 

“It’s been a roller-coaster season so far,” senior third baseman Brianna Quiroz said.