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Lady Dawgs second in CCC
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Andrea Mathis pitched a three-hitter, Heidi Eisenbeis hit a homer and scored two runs and Ceres' defense committed no errors in defeating Turlock 3-0 on the final day of the regular season on Friday at Turlock High School.

"When you have good pitching and defense, you're not going to lose," said Ceres coach Mike Corsaut.

Mathis gave up just three hits and struck out one in seven innings.

Ceres finished second in the Central California Conference with a 14-4 record and improved to 20-7 overall.

"It's kind of embarrassing to not be the first team to not finish in first," Eisenbeis said.

Ceres failed to win its eighth straight CCC title. The Bulldogs would have won a share of the crown if Johansen beat Golden Valley. The Vikings lost 5-0 to the Cougars, who finished first in league with a 15-3 record.

Ceres scored two runs in the top of the first inning.

Monica Hall lined a triple over the left fielder's head and moved to second base when Eisenbeis was hit by a pitch. With two out in the inning, Hall and Eisenbeis scored from second and second and third, respectively, on Amanda Gravitt's bloop-single to left.

The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the third inning.

Eisenbeis hit an inside-the-park homer to left field.

Dawgs top Spartans

With Mathis, Eisenbeis and Meghan Franksen leading the way, the Bulldogs beat the Spartans 4-0 at Ceres High School on Thursday.

"Andrea threw a great game," Corsaut said. "She hit her spots."

Mathis allowed four hits and had five strikeouts, Eisenbeis scored once and drove in two runs and Franksen walked twice and scored two runs.

"We had 11 hits total and no errors," Corsaut said.

Ceres scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Franksen walked, advanced to second on Hall's infield single and scored on Eisenbeis' single. Eisenbeis scored from third on Russell's single.

The Bulldogs built a 2-0 lead in second inning.

Gravitt scored on Shelby Olivan's single.

Ceres scored once in the first inning.

Franksen walked, moved from first to third on Hall's bunt and scored on Eisenbeis' single.

Ceres makes the playoffs

Ceres High made the playoffs for the 16th year in a row.

The Bulldogs will play Vintage in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I Playoffs at the Sacramento Softball Complex on Saturday at 10 a.m.

"If we play like we did our last two games, I think we'll do very well," Eisenbeis said.

Nobody should be surprised if Ceres knocks off a top seed.

"We're at full strength now," Corsaut said.

Franksen, Ceres' leadoff batter and shortstop, returned from a right hamstring injury last week. She missed seven games.

"When she gets on, she'll score," Eisenbeis said. - By DALE BUTLER / Staff Reporter of The Ceres (Calif.) Courier