Ceres High varsity softball teammates Kaycee Creek, Jessica Ellsworth, Cierra Hammons, Kassandra Carrillo, Alexis Cummings and Christin Ornells played at home for the final time on April 24.
The six seniors were recognized prior to the start of the Bulldogs' Western Athletic Conference meeting with Los Banos.
Creek, Ellsworth, Hammons, Carrillo, Cummings and Ornells were presented flowers and personalized posters displayed in front of Ceres High's dugout.
Donnie Donaldson, Ceres High's head coach, had trouble maintaining his composure during the player-introduction ceremony.
"I got through the first three without looking up," said Donaldson, who was recently voted WAC Coach of the Year. "As soon as I looked up and saw Jessica, I kind of lost it. It was emotional. I've been coaching some of these girls since they were 10. I couldn't be prouder."
Creek, Ellsworth, Hammons, Carrillo, Cummings and Ornells filled starting roles on this year's team, which compiled a 17-9 overall record, placed fourth at the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-IV playoff tournament and won the WAC title outright (10-2).
Kaycee and Jessica were four-year varsity players.
Creek pitched. She was also one of the team's best hitters.
Kaycee earned first-team, all-league honors three times.
Creek was named the WAC's Most Valuable Pitcher this year. She compiled a 10-2 record with a 1.11 ERA, two shutouts, nine complete games and 73 strikeouts.
Kaycee batted .500 with two triples, six doubles, four RBIs, 14 runs, five stolen bases and a .778 slugging percentage.
Creek will continue her softball career at Newbury College.
Ellsworth played third base. She earned second-team, all-conference honors.
Jessica batted .409 with one homer, two doubles, 11 RBIs, 13 runs and three stolen bases.
Ellsworth was voted to the Valley Oak League All-Defensive Team in 2010.
Hammons and Carrillo were promoted to varsity as sophomores.
Cierra excelled at catcher. She'll reunite with former Bulldog teammate Ryan Norton at Simpson University following graduation.
Hammons received first-team, all-league honors in 2012.
She batted .529 with four doubles, seven RBIs and two runs.
She picked off 13 runners this year, including six in the playoffs.
Cierra earned second-team, all-conference honors during her first season with Ceres High.
Kassandra played in left field.
Cummings and Ornells were two-year varsity members.
Alexis and Christin started at shortstop and designated hitter, respectively.
Cummings was selected to the WAC First Team.
Alexis batted .488 with four doubles, 15 RBIs and six runs.
Ceres High's Camrynn Broumas (So., 2B) and Central Valley's Sarah McElroy (So., P/2B) received second-team accolades.
Broumas batted .273 with two RBIs and seven runs.
McElroy batted .235 with one triple, two runs and one stolen base for the last-place Hawks (1-11).
She posted a 1-5 record with 26 strikeouts while splitting time at pitcher with Lexy Cordova.
Sarah struck out eight and walked none in Central Valley's 8-7 win over Pacheco on March 27.
Ellsworth and her senior teammates posed for pictures following Ceres High's 6-4 loss to Los Banos. The win moved the Tigers into a first-place tie with the Bulldogs atop the WAC standings.
"That's a lifetime of memories right there," Donaldson said.
"It seems like I walked on this field for the first time just yesterday," Ellsworth said. "Now, it's over. It's gone by really fast. I'm going to miss everybody."
The six seniors were recognized prior to the start of the Bulldogs' Western Athletic Conference meeting with Los Banos.
Creek, Ellsworth, Hammons, Carrillo, Cummings and Ornells were presented flowers and personalized posters displayed in front of Ceres High's dugout.
Donnie Donaldson, Ceres High's head coach, had trouble maintaining his composure during the player-introduction ceremony.
"I got through the first three without looking up," said Donaldson, who was recently voted WAC Coach of the Year. "As soon as I looked up and saw Jessica, I kind of lost it. It was emotional. I've been coaching some of these girls since they were 10. I couldn't be prouder."
Creek, Ellsworth, Hammons, Carrillo, Cummings and Ornells filled starting roles on this year's team, which compiled a 17-9 overall record, placed fourth at the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-IV playoff tournament and won the WAC title outright (10-2).
Kaycee and Jessica were four-year varsity players.
Creek pitched. She was also one of the team's best hitters.
Kaycee earned first-team, all-league honors three times.
Creek was named the WAC's Most Valuable Pitcher this year. She compiled a 10-2 record with a 1.11 ERA, two shutouts, nine complete games and 73 strikeouts.
Kaycee batted .500 with two triples, six doubles, four RBIs, 14 runs, five stolen bases and a .778 slugging percentage.
Creek will continue her softball career at Newbury College.
Ellsworth played third base. She earned second-team, all-conference honors.
Jessica batted .409 with one homer, two doubles, 11 RBIs, 13 runs and three stolen bases.
Ellsworth was voted to the Valley Oak League All-Defensive Team in 2010.
Hammons and Carrillo were promoted to varsity as sophomores.
Cierra excelled at catcher. She'll reunite with former Bulldog teammate Ryan Norton at Simpson University following graduation.
Hammons received first-team, all-league honors in 2012.
She batted .529 with four doubles, seven RBIs and two runs.
She picked off 13 runners this year, including six in the playoffs.
Cierra earned second-team, all-conference honors during her first season with Ceres High.
Kassandra played in left field.
Cummings and Ornells were two-year varsity members.
Alexis and Christin started at shortstop and designated hitter, respectively.
Cummings was selected to the WAC First Team.
Alexis batted .488 with four doubles, 15 RBIs and six runs.
Ceres High's Camrynn Broumas (So., 2B) and Central Valley's Sarah McElroy (So., P/2B) received second-team accolades.
Broumas batted .273 with two RBIs and seven runs.
McElroy batted .235 with one triple, two runs and one stolen base for the last-place Hawks (1-11).
She posted a 1-5 record with 26 strikeouts while splitting time at pitcher with Lexy Cordova.
Sarah struck out eight and walked none in Central Valley's 8-7 win over Pacheco on March 27.
Ellsworth and her senior teammates posed for pictures following Ceres High's 6-4 loss to Los Banos. The win moved the Tigers into a first-place tie with the Bulldogs atop the WAC standings.
"That's a lifetime of memories right there," Donaldson said.
"It seems like I walked on this field for the first time just yesterday," Ellsworth said. "Now, it's over. It's gone by really fast. I'm going to miss everybody."
