The Ceres Youth Baseball 7-and-under George Costa All-Star Team placed first during the TPR Summer League Season.

Ceres topped the Modesto Bombers 13-12 in extra innings during the championship game on July 19 at Mistlin Sports Park in Ripon.

“It was a tale of two games,” head coach Ralph Valencia said. 

Ceres battled back from an 8-3 deficit in the finals.

The game went into extra innings after the Costa All-Stars erased an 11-7 deficit in the bottom of the sixth.

Ceres second baseman Michael Welsh turned an unassisted double play in the top of the seventh inning to thwart Modesto’s scoring threat.

Lucasjay Garcia secured the victory with a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh. Abel Valencia scored from second base on Garcia’s one-out single up the middle.

“It was a pretty exciting moment,” coach Valencia said. “We were down the entire game.”

Ceres posted an 8-2 record against TPR competition.

Welsh, Garcia, Abel Valencia, Nathaniel Gomes, Luis Guerrero, Anthony Lopez, Luke Mann, Jace Merrill, Jax Moring, Adrian Ontiveros, Nolan Stamper and Maxwell Villa all contributed to the team’s success this year.

The Costa All-Stars were coached by Ralph Valencia, Ryan Moring, Wes Stamper and Nick Welsh.

“It’s a good group of kids,” coach Valencia said. “They’re talented. They really love playing baseball whether it’s practice or games. That’s the big thing. They continue to get better. This team will transition to 8U Blaze this fall.”

Valencia will hold tryouts for the Ceres Blaze 8-and-under travel baseball team on Aug. 8.

For more information, call (209) 606-8362.