Ceres High’s varsity baseball team beat Pacheco twice last week to remain in the hunt for the Western Athletic Conference title.
The second-place Bulldogs improved to 9-9 overall and 7-1 in the WAC standings after topping the fifth-place Panthers 13-5 on the road last Friday.
Pacheco dropped to 3-14 and 3-5.
The top three teams in league advance to the playoffs at the end of the regular season.
Ceres High won just two conference games last spring.
"We’re working hard. Our coaches are doing a great job. Our chemistry is good. Last year, we lacked that.”Brock DeWitt
“Looking at our record, we’re doing pretty well,” leadoff hitter/shortstop Brock DeWitt said. “It feels good to be more successful. With the talent we have on our team, it’s not really surprising. We’re working hard. Our coaches are doing a great job. Our chemistry is good. Last year, we lacked that.”
Ceres High collected eight hits during the game.
DeWitt batted 1-for-4 with one double, two RBIs and one run.
Brock Moore batted 3-for-3 from the plate with two RBIs and two runs.
Justin Prestridge batted 1-for-5 with two RBIs and one run.
Daniel Gamez batted 0-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs.
Isaiah Alcorn batted 1-for-4 with one double and two runs.
Dominic Magdaleno batted 0-for-1 with one RBI and two runs.
Josh Pernetti batted 1-for-3 with one RBI and one run.
Chris Madariaga batted 1-for-3 with one RBI and one run.
Andrew Kommavong batted 0-for-3 with one run.
“Hitting was our strong point this week,” DeWitt said. “Everybody did their job.”
Prestridge improved his pitching record to 2-5. He gave up just one earned run and four hits with five strikeouts and four walks in four innings.
The Bulldogs did the majority of their damage on offense in the top of the second inning by tallying 10 runs.
Ceres High defeated Pacheco by the mercy rule, 13-3, in six innings on April 10 at Art McRae Field.
The Bulldogs piled up 10 hits on offense.
DeWitt finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs.
Pernetti finished 1-for-2 with one homer, four RBIs and one run.
Prestridge finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and one run.
Magdaleno finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs.
Moore finished 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs.
Madariaga finished 1-for-4 with one double and two runs.
Kommavong scored two runs.
Alcorn added one run.
Madariaga (3-0) allowed two earned runs and four hits with two strikeouts and six walks while starting at pitcher.
Down 3-0 at the end of the first inning, the Bulldogs outscored the Panthers 13-0 the rest of the game. Ceres High tallied six runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Ceres High will face first-place Los Banos (14-1, 8-0) twice this week.
The Bulldogs will host the Tigers today at 4 p.m.
“Their record proves they’re a great team,” DeWitt said. “It’s going to be fun to play at that level. It will show where we’re at. We know it’s going to be tough. We’re going to have to play mistake-free baseball.”
