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Dawgs claim WAC softball crown
CHS perfect in league
mwhatley.tiff
Mikayla Whatley tallied one run and three stolen bases during Ceres Highs 7-1 playoff-clinching win over visiting Pacheco on April 16. - photo by DALE BUTLER/The Courier

Ceres High varsity softball head coach Donnie Donaldson will be placing an order for Western Athletic Conference champion T-shirts in the very near future.

"We should have them by our first playoff game," he said.

The Bulldogs captured their second league title in the past five seasons with a 13-0 six-inning mercy-rule win over host Patterson on April 17.

Ceres High also earned the WAC's No. 1 seed for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-IV playoffs.

"It's a huge relief," said Donaldson, whose team extended its unbeaten streak to 13 games. "There's usually a logjam at the top. We've run away with it this year."

The Bulldogs improved to 16-2 on the year and 10-0 in the WAC standings.

Los Banos (5-3), Central Valley (5-4), Pacheco (4-5) and Central Catholic (4-5) are vying for the conference's second and final postseason berths.

"We're hitting as good as we've ever hit," Donaldson said. "Our defense is super solid. Our pitching has been excellent. This team has jelled so well. They're doing some amazing things."

Ceres High collected 20 hits during its pasting of Patterson.

Nicole Bates batted 3-for-5 with one homer, one double, four RBIs and three runs.

Rayohna Sagapolu batted 2-for-4 with two RBIs and one run.

Mahlena O'Neal batted 4-for-5 with two RBIs.

Jessica Arreola batted 2-for-4 with one double, one RBI and two runs.

Kaytlin Donaldson batted 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run.

Sabrina Baisdon batted 2-for-5 with one double, one RBI and one run.

Camrynn Broumas batted 1-for-4 with one RBI and one run.

Donaldson gave up no runs and one hit with five strikeouts and five walks on her way to firing a shutout.

The Bulldogs battered Pacheco 7-1 and earned their fourth straight playoff berth on April 16 at Ceres High.

Ceres High pounded 10 hits with nine strikeouts and three walks off Panther standout pitcher Gia Rodoni.

Baisdon batted 1-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs.

Arreola batted 2-for-3 with three runs and one stolen base.

O'Neal batted 3-for-3 with two RBIs.

Sagapolu batted 3-for-3 with one double and one stolen base.
Bates batted 1-for-3 with one triple and one RBI.

Mikayla Whatley chipped in with one run and three stolen bases.

Rayohna surrendered three hits and one run with five strikeouts and one walk in seven innings.

Ceres High prevailed 8-3 while playing host to Patterson on April 14.

Donaldson was the winning pitcher.

She had six strikeouts and one walk while tossing five innings of relief. Kaytlin yielded two runs and three hits.

Sagapolu started. She allowed one run and one hit with one strikeout and four walks in two innings.

McKenzie Veuve batted 2-for-3 with one homer, one RBI and two runs.

Sagapolu batted 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

Megan McCormick batted 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.

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

Donaldson collected two RBIs and one run.

Ceres High totaled 28 runs, 38 hits and one error versus Patterson and Pacheco.

"There's always concern there can be too much confidence," coach Donaldson said. "So far, we haven't had a letdown."

Ceres High's final two conference opponents are Los Banos and Central Valley. The Bulldogs will host the Tigers today. Ceres High will recognize its four senior players: Broumas, Whatley, Breanne De Leon and Izabell Saldana.

Ceres High will play at crosstown-rival Central Valley on Friday. Both games will get underway at 4 p.m. "The kids want to finish the WAC season undefeated," Donnie Donaldson said.