A total of 12 high school baseball teams from the Stanislaus District will get an opportunity to play at John Thurman Field, home of the Modesto Nuts' minor-league baseball team, this month as part of the High School Baseball Showcase.

Crosstown rivals Central Valley and Ceres High both received invitations courtesy of Nuts Director of Corporate Partnerships Corey Gales.

"We both got the primetime spot," Hawks' Athletic Director Greg Magni said. 

"Once he (Gales) gave me a call, we jumped on the opportunity," Bulldogs' leader Raul Godinez stated. "Just knowing we're going to be there is really big for the program. It's an experience the kids are always going to remember. There's an audience. It's a big-league field. You want to do well."

"It's a great thing for the city of Ceres," Central Valley head coach Brad Bussard added. "People want to watch us play. It's a great opportunity for kids to showcase their talents."

Three games will be staged this Saturday.

Central Valley will face Downey at 4 p.m.

Escalon will face Linden at 1 p.m.

Gregori will face Central Catholic at 10 a.m.

"The kids are looking forward to playing," Bussard said. "They're excited."

Three games will also be held on March 23.

Ceres High will face Beyer at 4 p.m.

Patterson will face Hilmar at 1 p.m.

Enochs will face East Union at 10 a.m.

"They're never going to forget this," Godinez said. "I remember playing in an all-star game there when I was in high school."

Tickets may be purchased at all participating high schools.

"It's a great idea by the Nuts," Magni said while talking about the High School Baseball Showcase. "They started it last year. It was very popular. They're giving our kids an opportunity to play on a big stage. It's really special. I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be fun. We're promoting it to get people out to the event. We've been selling tickets on campus for a couple weeks."