Centerfielder Isaiah Hidalgo’s defensive play helped Central Valley’s baseball team preserve a 2-1 win against crosstown-rival Ceres High at home on Thursday.
With one out in the final inning, Hidalgo used his speed to snare a line drive and fired a strike to first base for the 8-3 double play to end the game.
“Beating Ceres High is one of the biggest highlights of the season,” Hidalgo said. “The best part of the game was how competitive it was. It was fun. The last inning was a little scary.”
Central Valley improved to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the Western Athletic Conference South standings.
Ceres High dropped to 1-4 and 0-1.
“We want to win every game,” Hidalgo said.
Hawk cleanup hitter Ryan Estermann drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Sergio Solis scored from third base on Estermann’s sacrifice fly to shallow right field.
Bulldog outfielder Roman Aguinaga nearly threw out Solis, who slid around Ceres High catcher Miguel Espinoza’s tag prior to touching home plate.
Solis pitched a complete game against the Bulldogs.
He yielded one run and five hits with eight strikeouts and six walks in seven innings.
“It was a really gritty performance,” Hawks’ head coach Derrick Goblirsch said. “He found ways to get guys out. We played good defense behind him. It was fun to watch.”
Estermann batted 1-for-3 from the plate on offense with two RBIs.
Solis batted 1-for-2 with two runs.
Garret Garcia batted 2-for-2 with one double.
Ceres High pitcher Noel Anaya gave up two unearned runs with four strikeouts and two walks over six innings versus Central Valley.
He collected two singles on offense.
Aguinaga batted 2-for-3 from the plate with one double and one run.
Isac Cordova singled.
“They made some really good plays and put pressure on us,” Goblirsch said. “I’m very pleased with the way we played. Our guys stepped up to the challenge.”
The Hawks and Bulldogs will play a doubleheader at Ceres High on May 11.
The first game will begin at 2 p.m.
“That’s a good team,” Hidalgo said. “We’re looking forward to playing them again. I’m expecting both games to be just as competitive.”
BOYS BASKETBALL
Ceres High’s and Central Valley’s basketball programs tipped off the 2020-21 Western Athletic Conference season this past week.
Ceres High’s boys basketball team won one of its two games versus Johansen in WAC South play.
“Whenever we play each other, it’s so competitive,” Bulldogs’ head coach T.J. Walker Jr. said.
The Bulldogs edged the Vikings, 57-52, on Friday at Phil de la Porte Gymnasium.
Verlis Smith led Ceres High in scoring with 17 points.
He also had two assists and one rebound.
Andrew Kommavong collected 10 points and one rebound.
Indy Dhillon contributed nine points, three rebounds and two assists.
Samar Singh netted four points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Ceres High lost 57-53 at Johansen on Thursday.
Dhillon tallied 20 points and four rebounds.
Singh and Gabe Newton chipped in with 11 points and nine rebounds apiece.
“Obviously, we wanted to go 2-0,” Walker said. “We had a chance to do that. We got to get more guys scoring the ball consistently.”
Central Valley’s boys basketball team dropped a pair of WAC South games to Los Banos.
“We played well in spurts,” Hawks’ head coach Mike Rodriguez said. “We got to figure out how to put a full game together. We’re pretty young this year. We’re still trying to find our identity.”
Central Valley suffered a 70-44 loss while competing at Los Banos on Friday.
Yoshi Kumar tallied a team-high 12 points.
Jordan Lombardo added 11 points.
Amari Taylor and Gage Mastropierro netted six and five points, respectively.
Jeremy Alvarez and Erick Pena finished with three points apiece.
Los Banos defeated Central Valley 70-45 on Thursday in Ceres.
Jordan Lombardo scored a team-high 14 points.
Angel Zamarripa totaled nine points.
Pena collected eight points.
Mastropierro and Xavier Valencia each had five points.
“We gave up a lot of easy baskets and we didn’t shoot well,” Rodriguez said.
Ceres High’s girls basketball team dominated Johansen twice in WAC South play.
“We’re just glad to start the season off with wins,” said Michael Estrada Jr., third-year head coach of the Bulldogs. “It’s the outcome we were looking for.”
Ceres High cruised to a 49-28 win against Johansen on Friday in Modesto.
Celeste Leon had a game-high 17 points, to go along with six steals, five rebounds and three assists.
Lysaida Munoz had 15 points, eight rebounds, six steals and one assist.
Mia Rodriguez had nine points, seven steals, four rebounds and one assist.
Catryna Marquez had eight points, four steals, three rebounds and three assists.
Ceres High routed Johansen 46-27 on Thursday at Phil de la Porte Gymnasium.
Leon had 13 points, six steals, three rebounds and one assist.
Munoz had 11 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists.
Rodriguez had six points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal.
Marquez had six points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Ceres High finished 15-13 overall and placed fourth in the WAC standings (8-6) last season.
“This is going to be our best team since I’ve been here based on our experience,” Estrada said. “We have a chance to have a winning record again and go undefeated (in league).”
Central Valley’s girls basketball team got swept by Los Banos.
The Tigers topped the Hawks 60-2 on Friday in Ceres.
Central Valley fell 50-9 at Los Banos on Thursday.
