Ceres High’s softball team avoided securing a split during the opening week of Western Athletic Conference play thanks to a thrilling comeback victory.

The Bulldogs rallied from a six-run deficit en route to posting a 7-6 home win over the Beyer Patriots on Friday.

“I’m proud of the girls for not giving up,” head coach Mike Corsaut said. 

Ceres High improved to 6-6 overall and 2-0 in the WAC standings.

Beyer dropped to 2-7-2 and 0-2-0.

“We’re 2-0 in league,” Corsaut said. “That’s where we need to be right now. I don’t want the girls to take anyone lightly. I want them to play the game hard.”

Down 6-5 with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, Ceres High’s Emma Johnson knocked in Isabela Giraldes and Antonia Solis with a double to left-center field to secure the hard-fought victory versus Beyer.

“Right person, right time,” Corsaut said.

Johnson batted 1-for-1 from the plate for the game with one double and two RBIs.

Giraldes batted 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run.

Solis batted 1-for-4 with one run.

Freshman Ava Montesdeoca batted 2-for-4 with one double, one RBI and one run.

Freshman Alizae Cole batted 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run.

Kareli Hernandez batted 2-for-2 with two runs.

Alayna DeLaTorre batted 1-for-3 with one triple, one RBI and one run.

Bulldog ace pitcher Brooklyn Heffernan allowed four earned runs and 10 hits with 13 strikeouts and no walks.

Ceres High trailed 6-0 through 31/2 innings.

The Bulldogs cut the deficit to four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Ceres High scored five times with two outs in the sixth inning.

“I’m really pleased with how our team responded,” Corsaut said.

Host Ceres High won its WAC opener, 16-0, versus Lathrop in five innings on March 16.

The Bulldogs led 12-0 at the end of the first inning.

“Everybody was hitting,” Corsaut said.

Heffernan allowed just one hit and tallied 11 strikeouts while tossing a complete-game shutout.

She batted 1-for-4 from the plate with one run.

Montesdeoca batted 4-for-4 with three doubles, four RBIs and four runs.

Freshman Nani Sagapolu batted 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs.

Giraldes batted 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs.

Solis batted 1-for-4 with one double, two RBIs and two runs.

Cole batted 3-for-3 with one double, one RBI and two runs.

Celeste Leon batted 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs.

Freshman Maddie Schultz scored one run.

Hawks lose twice

Central Valley’s softball team fell to 2-9 on the season last week after dropping a pair of non-conference games.

The Hawks lost 11-1 at Riverbank on Thursday.

Central Valley collected six hits in defeat.

Victoria Lloyd batted 2-for-3 with one run.

Allie Peterman batted 1-for-3 with one RBI.

Julia Roton singled twice.

Janessa Godinez singled once.

Manteca topped visiting Central Valley 14-4 on March 15.

Godinez batted 4-for-4 with two doubles and one run.

Jannet Valencia batted 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run.

Lloyd batted 1-for-2 with one double and two RBIs.

Peterman and Roton both singled.

Destiny Herrera scored once.

Central Valley will begin Central California Conference play this week.

The Hawks will play host to the Merced Bears on Thursday at 4 p.m.

BASEBALL

Central Valley’s baseball program salvaged a split with Atwater during the opening week of Central California Conference play.

“It would have been easy for us to crumble as a team,” Hawks’ head coach Derrick Goblirsch said. “Our confidence was down. I give a lot of credit to our guys. They battled to the end.”

Two days removed from squandering a four-run lead in a 5-4 loss to the Falcons, Central Valley bounced back on March 18 with a 1-0 home win against Atwater.

“It’s a huge win for our program,” Goblirsch said. “We split with a really good team.”

The Hawks improved to 5-5 overall and 1-1 in the CCC standings.

The Falcons dropped to 7-2 and 1-1. 

“Our preseason schedule was tough,” Goblirsch said. “We did that intentionally to prepare us for league.”

Central Valley’s Gabrial Lopez gave up just two hits with 10 strikeouts while pitching a compete-game shutout versus Atwater.

“He was locked in,” Goblirsch said. “That’s the expectation for Gabrial. He’s been really good the past two years.”

The Hawks broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Ryan Estremann reached base on a hit-by-pitch to open the inning and scored on Alan Lopez’s two-out double to right-center field.

“That was our first hit of the game,” Goblirsch said. “Alan barreled it and the ball landed where they weren’t. He had good swings all day.”

Atwater stunned visiting Central Valley when it rallied for a 5-4 victory during Game 1.

Down 4-0, the Falcons collected eight hits and scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“It was definitely disheartening,” Goblirsch said. “We played well for six-and-a-half innings. We maximized our opportunities. They made adjustments and we didn’t make plays.” 

Hawk freshman pitcher Chris Garcia surrendered five runs and scattered 11 hits with 11 strikeouts and one walk.

Caiden Whittle batted 1-for-3 with one double and one RBI.

Estermann batted 1-for-3 with one double and one run.

Lopez and Garret Garcia both drove in one run.

Diego Delahoya, Samuel Wilson and Edmund Stewart all scored once.

Bulldogs split

Ceres High’s baseball team won one of two games against Lathrop during the opening week of WAC play.

The Bulldogs improved to 1-9 overall and 1-1 in league with a 13-3 victory over the Spartans on Thursday at Art McRae Field.

Ceres High snapped a nine-game losing streak.

The Spartans edged the Bulldogs 4-3 in eight innings on March 15 in Lathrop.

Bulldog pitcher Noel Anaya earned a no-decision.

He allowed three runs and eight hits with four strikeouts and two walks in five innings.

Reis Smith batted 1-for-3 with two RBIs.

Landyn Hudson batted 1-for-3 with one double and one run.

Jorge Gonzalez batted 2-for-4 with one run.

Isac Cordova scored once.

SWIMMING

Ceres High’s swim program competed against Johansen and Central Valley this past week.

Ceres High’s girls team improved to 1-2 in the WAC standings following Friday’s 81-75 home win over Johansen.

“We fought hard for that one,” head coach Kayla Himmist said. “We only won by six points.”

Brooke Trio placed first in the 50 free and 100 free.

Reagan Hensley placed first in the 200 IM and second in the 500 free.

Amber Hopwood placed first in the 100 breast and second in the 100 free.

Elise Cannella placed second in the 50 free.

Berlin Kahl placed second in the 200 free.

Jewell Stahl placed second in the 100 fly.

Maci Farinha placed third in the 100 breast and fourth in the 100 fly.

Genesis Garcia placed third in the 100 free and fourth in the 100 breast.

Makayla Hair placed third in the 100 back and fifth in the 50 free.

Liset Renteria placed fourth in the 100 back and fifth in the 100 fly.

Ceres High’s 400 free relay team of Hensley, Stahl, Trio and Cannella placed first.

Ceres High’s 200 free relay team of Hopwood, Kahl, Stahl and Cannella placed first.

Ceres High’s 200 medley relay team of Hensley, Hopwood, Stahl and Cannella placed second.

Ceres High’s 200 medley relay team of Hair, Farinha, Renteria and Trio placed third.

Ceres High’s boys team dropped to 1-2 in the WAC after losing 120-15 to the Vikings.

Nikahli Garcia placed third in the 100 back.

Blake Barr placed third in the 50 free and fourth in the 100 back.

Jesus Valdovinos placed third in the 100 breast, fourth in the 100 free and fifth in the 100 free.

Ceres High scrimmaged against crosstown-rival Central Valley on March 15.

“The kids look forward to it because there’s not as much pressure,” Himmist said. “It’s not a league meet.”

Cannella placed first in the 50 free and 100 free to lead the Bulldogs during the girls meet.

Hensley placed first in the 500 free.

Hopwood placed first in the 50 breast.

Hair placed first in the 50 back and fourth in the 50 free.

Trio placed second in the 50 free and 100 free.

Farinha placed second in the 50 fly and 50 breast.

Renteria placed second in the 50 back and third in the 50 fly.

Kahl placed third in the 50 breast.

Karla Hinojosa placed third in the 50 back and fourth in the 50 fly.

Ceres High’s 200 free relay team of Trio, Farinha, Kahl and Hopwood placed first.

Ceres High’s 200 medley relay team of Hensley, Hopwood, Farinha and Cannella placed first.

Ceres High’s 200 medley relay team of Hair, Renteria, Hinojosa and Trio placed third.

Hawk Denisse Corro placed first in the 50 fly and third in the 50 free.

Central Valley’s Taleia Lopez placed third in the 100 free and fifth in the 50 free.

Barr placed first in the 50 back, and second in the 50 free and 100 free to lead the Bulldogs during the boys meet.

Valdovinos placed first in the 100 free, second in the 50 breast and third in the 50 free.

Garcia placed second in the 50 back, third in the 100 free and fourth in the 50 free.

Justin Alvarez, Central Valley’s lone boys swimmer, placed first in the 50 free and 50 breast.

BOYS TENNIS

Central Valley’s boys tennis team moved to 4-2 in the CCC standings this past week after winning one of its two matches.

The Hawks topped the Golden Valley Cougars 7-2 on March 15 in Ceres.

Central Valley won five of six singles and two of three doubles matches.

Ruben Hernandez prevailed 6-2, 6-3 in No. 1 singles play.

Omar Lepe prevailed 6-0, 6-2 in No. 2 singles play.

Willy Souksavath prevailed 7-5, 6-1 in No. 4 singles play.

Enrique Lepe prevailed 6-3, 6-0 in No. 5 singles play.

Jesus Hernandez prevailed 6-1, 6-3 in No. 6 singles play.

Aiden Sinlapaxay and Joaquin Pulido prevailed 6-0, 6-2 in No. 1 doubles play.

Kai Sivongxay and Dyan Chauhan prevailed 6-3, 6-1 in No. 3 doubles play.

Central Valley suffered a 9-0 loss at Merced on March 17.

CHS boys win once

Ceres High’s boys tennis team won one of its first three matches of the WAC season.

The Bulldogs bested the Johansen Vikings 7-0 on March 10 in Modesto.

Eduardo Ramirez won 6-1, 6-4 at No. 1 singles.

Noah Zamora won 6-0, 6-2 at No. 2 singles.

Manuel Calderon won 6-1, 6-4 at No. 3 singles.

Isiah Gudino won 6-0, 6-1 at No. 4 singles.

Gilbert Zamora III won 6-1, 6-1 at No. 5 singles.

Serjio Gonzalez and Fabias Torres won 6-2, 6-4, at No. 1 doubles.

Ian Saldana and Daniel Gonzales won 6-0, 6-2 at No. 2 doubles.

Beyer dealt Ceres High a 6-0 loss on March 8 in Modesto.

Host Los Banos cruised to an 8-1 victory over Ceres High on March 17.

Gilbert Zamora III prevented the shutout by winning 7-5, 6-3 at No. 5 singles.

BOYS GOLF

Central Valley’s boys golf team improved to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the Central California Conference standings last week.

The Hawks won one of their two league matches.

Central Valley edged visiting Atwater by 11 strokes, 171-182, on March 15 at St. Stanislaus.

Victor Alvarez led the Hawks with a 31.

Matteo Bonales carded a 32.

Armando Guajardo and Alijah Lopez fired identical scores of 35.

Jadon Rafatti shot 38.

Golden Valley defeated Central Valley 175-187 on March 17 at St. Stanislaus.

Bonales led the Hawks with a 30.

Dylan Jacobson fired a 37.

Alvarez, Rafatti and Lopez rounded out Central Valley’s scorecard with rounds of 38, 39 and 43, respectively.