The Ceres Sizzle 12-and-under travel softball team enjoyed a successful start to the 2023 season.

Ceres finished in first place while competing at the NorCal Western Nationals Warmup Tournament, which was staged July 15-16 in triple-digit heat at Turlock’s Pedretti Park.

“This was our first tournament of our summer season,” head coach Jeff Graham said. “We had tryouts a month ago. We got a bunch of new girls.”

“The expectation was to do well,” he added. “We had scrimmages to get the new girls prepped. We were playing against really good teams.”

Ceres compiled a 3-2 record at the NSA-sanctioned event.

The tournament featured 13 teams.

“It was a super-hot that weekend,” Graham said.

The second-seeded Sizzle shut out the fourth-seeded SCSA Lobos in the championship game of the Silver Bracket on July 16.

“They played amazing,” Graham said. “We had high energy. The girls were on-point. We outworked the other team.”

Ceres pitcher Jordyn Martin totaled nine strikeouts.

Janessa Torres had three RBIs.

Second baseman Payton Graham made two diving catches on potential line-drive hits.

The Sizzle broke the game open by scoring four runs in the bottom of the third inning.

Torres plated Martin, Aubrey Cole and Shelby Alves with a double.

The Sizzle edged the sixth-seeded South Valley Stealth 12-9 in the semifinals on July 16.

Ceres won two of three games in pool play on July 15.

The Sizzle opened the tournament with a 15-1 win over the Icebreakers Softball Club.

Ceres lost 16-3 to the Modesto Arsenal.

The Sizzle suffered an 8-4 loss while battling the Lodi Lady Ballers.

“I was really hoping they were going to have a good tournament and they did,” coach Graham said. 

The Sizzle will play in the NSA Turlock Wounded Warrior, Aug. 5-6, at Pedretti Park.