Central Valley’s softball team defeated visiting Downey in non-conference play last week.

The Hawks also competed at the rain-shortened NorCal Classic. 

Ceres High was slated to play in the same tournament in Tracy but games were canceled due to poor weather.

“We were supposed to play four games (in Tracy),” Central Valley head coach Jimmy Bates said. “Unfortunately, the weather struck. The fields were unplayable.”

“It’s Mother Nature,” Bulldogs’ leader Mike Corsaut stated. “You can’t fight against her.”

The Hawks lost 13-5 to the Orestimba Warriors during the opening round of the NorCal Classic Thursday morning at Legacy Fields.

Central Valley never recovered after allowing six runs in the top of the sixth inning.

“We had a couple untimely errors,” Bates said. “That really hurt us.”

Central Valley dropped to 7-9 on the season.

Orestimba improved to 11-4 overall.

Brooklynn Steeley batted 2-for-2 with one homer, three RBIs and one run in defeat.

Reylena Herrera batted 2-for-2 with one RBI and one run.

Jannet Valencia batted 1-for-3 with one double, one RBI and one run.

Valeria Padilla batted 1-for-3 with one double and one run.

Alicia Espinoza scored once.

Priscilla Hamidat singled.

Steeley (6-6) had two strikeouts and no walks at pitcher.

She surrendered 12 earned runs and 13 hits in six innings.

Central Valley rallied from a four-run deficit en route to edging Downey 9-8 on April 2 in Ceres.

“We’ve been in some tough situations this year,” said Bates . “Our girls aren’t fazed by it. They truly believe until the last out is made, we’re in every ball game. You can’t count them out. They’re definitely a resilient group.”

Tied at 8-8, Central Valley No. 3 hitter Alicia Espinoza drove in the winning run with one out in the final inning. Valencia scored from third base on Espinoza’s single to center field.

“Alicia is ultra-competitive and hits the ball hard consistently,” Bates said.

Espinoza batted 2-for-4 from the plate with one RBI and one run.

Herrera batted 4-for-5 with two doubles, four RBIs and three runs.

Gabriela Delatorre batted 2-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs.

Jannet Valencia batted 2-for-5 with one double and two runs.

Alayah Villa batted 1-for-2 with one RBI and one run.

Hamidat batted 2-for-4 with one run.

Steeley and Abigail Krauss both scored once.

Valerie Espinoza singled.

Steeley allowed three earned runs and three hits with seven strikeouts and one walk while tossing 41/3 innings of relief in the circle.

Starter Jannet Valencia gave up four earned runs and five hits with two strikeouts and no walks.

Central Valley will resume the Central California Conference portion of its schedule this week.

The third-place Hawks (2-1) will play at second-place Golden Valley (6-9, 3-1) today and host fourth-place Patterson (6-6, 2-2) on Friday.

“We’re still in a good spot for where we need to be for league play,” noted Bates. “Nobody is undefeated. Everybody has at least one loss.”

All four of Ceres High’s games at the NorCal Classic were called off this past week because of poor weather.

The Bulldogs’ final two contests at their home tournament on March 30 were canceled due to rain.

“It would have been nice to get some games in,” Corsaut said.

Ceres High (6-7, 5-0) will resume the Western Athletic Conference portion of its schedule this week.

The first-place Bulldogs will travel to Modesto on Thursday to face the seventh-place Grace Davis Spartans (1-9, 1-4).

The game will begin at 4 p.m.

“We like where we’re at,” Corsaut said. “We have to keep playing like we’re capable of playing. We can’t underestimate any team.”