The Ceres Sizzle 12-and-under travel softball team enjoyed a productive finish to its summer season this past weekend.

Fourth-seeded Ceres took second in the Gold Bracket of the Dog Days of Summer Tournament, staged July 27-28 at Rainbow Fields.

“Our expectations are always high,” Sizzle head coach Jon Harris stated. “This tournament, the girls definitely played to their potential.”

Ceres posted a 4-1-1 overall record.

“The tournament before this one, we started playing a lot better,” Harris said. “We beat a really, good team and lost to the eventual champion. We went back to practice and worked on things we needed to work on. The girls were fired up.”

Ceres fell 5-1 while battling the third-seeded Chico Lady Aces in the finals on Sunday.

The Sizzle committed two errors in defeat.

“We came up short,” Harris said. “The girls might have been a little tired.”

“We actually outhit them, 9-5,” he added. “Their hits came with runners on base and off a couple of errors.”

Mia Morales, Hailey Sainz, Samantha Epps, Audrina Garcia, London Torres, Brynley Aiello, Vanessa Berber and Rylee Ginise all contributed on offense.

Morales batted 1-for-3 from the plate with one triple and one run.

Sainz batted 1-for-2 with one RBI.

Epps batted 2-for-2.

Garcia and Torres both doubled.

Aiello, Berber and Ginise all singled.

Ceres upset the top-seeded Hilmar Hotties 6-4 in the semifinals on Sunday.

The Sizzle battled back from a 4-1 deficit in the last inning.

“We had walks and timely hits,” Harris said. 

Ceres led from start to finish in beating the fifth-seeded 209 Storm 8-4 in the quarterfinals on Sunday.

The Sizzle scored six runs in the first inning.

Ceres won twice and tied once in pool play on Saturday.

The Sizzle beat Do It Big Softball (5-4) and Firecrackers (5-4).

Ceres and Chico Lady Aces tied (5-5). The Sizzle erased a three-run deficit.

Coach Harris relied on 13 different players this season, including Morales, Sainz, Epps, Garcia,Torres, Berber, Ginise, Brynley Aiello, Jillian Aiello, Julia Beachler, Lysette Beltran, Bailey Harris and Paisley McDaniel.

Ceres competed in nine tournaments.

The Sizzle enjoyed a breakthrough performance this past weekend by placing for the first time.

“They did exactly what we were hoping for,” Harris said. “They realized their potential.”

Ceres could return its entire roster when it competes this fall.

“We’re looking forward to having a really, good season,” Harris said.