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Ladies walk past Cougars, 3-2
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When Golden Valley took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning, Cougars coach Dan McGhee knew the Ceres High softball team wouldn't go down without a fight.

"Until you get knocked off, you're the king of the hill," McGhee said.

Led by Shelby Olivan, Michelle Gonzales, Heather Russell, Meghan Franksen, Monica Hall and Heidi Eisenbeis, the Bulldogs mounted a game-winning comeback. Hall knocked in the game-tying run and Eisenbeis battled back from a 1-2 count and drew a bases-loaded walk in leading Ceres to a thrilling 3-2 victory over Golden Valley.

"Those are some huge, key at bats in a pressure situation," said Ceres coach Mike Corsaut.

Ceres improved to 1-0 in the CCC standings, 4-1-1 overall.

Golden Valley fell to 0-1 in league, 2-4 overall.

"We know Ceres is the team to beat this year," McGhee said.

Ceres scored both of its runs with one out in the final inning.

Olivan walked and Russell and Franksen loaded the bases with back-to-back singles.

Gonzales, a courtesy runner, evened the score at 2-all. She scored from third on Hall's infield single.

Golden Valley's Jill Davis gave up three runs on four hits in seven innings. She had four strikeouts.

"They're a good hitting team and Jill held them off for six innings," McGhee said.

Golden Valley built a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Davis singled, moved to second on a bunt and scored on a single by catcher Tawni Jarrett.

The Cougars extended their lead to 2-0 in the fifth inning.

Sarah Espinosa scored on Sarah Tacke's single to center field.

The Bulldogs cut the Cougars' lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Franksen scored from second base on Hall's groundout.

Ceres pitcher Andrea Mathis gave up two runs on nine hits and struck out two batters in seven innings. She walked none.

"She kept us in the game," Corsaut said. - By DALE BUTLER / Staff Reporter of The Ceres (Calif.) Courier