Dawgs sweep Hawks in varsity baseball

Kendel Johnson gets picked off at first base during Central Valley's 2-0 loss to crosstown-rival Ceres High in varsity baseball last Wednesday at Art McRae Field. - photo by DALE BUTLER/The Courier

chscv — Kendel Johnson gets picked off at first base during Central Valley's 2-0 loss to crosstown-rival Ceres High in varsity baseball last Wednesday at Art McRae Field. - photo by DALE BUTLER/The Courier

Ceres High's and Central Valley's varsity baseball teams have faced off 15 times in conference play since 2007.

The Bulldogs improved their head-to-head record against the Hawks to 9-6 this past week with a two-game sweep.

Ceres High (13-3, 6-0 Western Athletic Conference) has won the last five meetings.

"They're one of the best teams we've seen this year," Central Valley head coach/former Ceres High standout athlete Derrick Goblirsch said. "Their pitchers throw strikes. Defensively, they didn't make an error in two games. Offensively, one through nine, they all can hit. There are no down spots in that lineup."

Junior pitcher Brad Bussard remained unbeaten on the year after lifting Ceres High to a 6-2 win over host Central Valley on Thursday.

Bussard, 6-0, tallied five strikeouts and one walk.

He allowed five hits and two runs.

Brad had a 36-inning scoreless streak snapped.

Evan Duran had one strikeout while tossing 11/3 innings of relief.

"He (Bussard) throws strikes and they play defense behind him," Goblirsch said.

Central Valley (9-6, 2-2) used two pitchers: Michael Ereso and Joseph Montalvo.

Ereso allowed four earned runs, scattered eight hits, fanned three and walked two in 42/3 innings.

Montalvo tallied one strikeout and one walk while tossing 21/3 innings of relief. He gave up one hit.

Ceres High batted .333 (10-for-30) as a team on offense.

Brett Conway finished 2-for-3 with one double, one RBI and one run.

Jimmy Bates finished 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run.

Dylan Canatsy finished 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI.

Alan Marquez finished 2-for-3 with one double and one run.

Izaiah Hernandez finished 1-for-3 with one RBI and one run.

Brandon Machado finished 1-for-2 with one RBI.

Brad Bussard and Brent Bussard both scored one run.

Central Valley batted .192 (5-for-26) as a team.

Montalvo singled.

Jorge Alvarez finished 1-for-3 with one double and two RBIs.

Raul Godinez finished 2-for-3 with one run.

Kendel Johnson finished 1-for-3 with one run.

Central Valley contributed to its own demise by committing four errors.

Ceres High scored one run in the top of the first inning, two in the second and three in the fifth.

The Hawks tallied both of their runs in the sixth inning to prevent the shutout.

Ceres High edged Central Valley 2-0 on Wednesday at Art McRae Field.

Marquez pitched a gem of a game for the Bulldogs. Alan surrendered no runs and five hits with eight strikeouts and one walk.

Godinez, Central Valley's pitcher, turned in a respectable performance in defeat. He yielded two runs and five hits with four strikeouts and two walks while going the distance.

"Raul threw a great game," Goblirsch said. "We just didn't hit."

Both teams collected five hits and committed no errors.

Bates finished 2-for-3 with one triple and one run.

Brad Bussard finished 1-for-3 with one RBI.

Caleb McDade finished 1-for-2 with one run.

Marquez doubled.

Hawk Ben Ortiz doubled.

Godinez, Montalvo, Johnson and Joseph Zuniga all singled.

Ceres High scored runs in both the first and fifth innings.

The Bulldogs have won 16 of their last 18 league games dating back to last season.

Central Valley won five of six games prior to losing to twice to Ceres High.

The Hawk will face Pacheco this week.