The Ceres Sizzle 16-and-under travel softball team did what it set out to accomplish while playing in the Big Bang Summer Blast Tournament earlier this month in Madera.

“Their goal was to win (championship) rings,” head coach Nicole Ferrel said. “They did exactly what they needed to do to be successful.”

“They played well together considering how hot it was,” she added. “Nobody complained about the heat.”

The top-seeded Sizzle won all five of their games en route to a first-place finish.

Ceres allowed just four runs in tourney play.

“Defensively, we had a very strong weekend,” Ferrel said. “Our pitchers did a really good job.”

The Sizzle edged the King City Lobos 1-0 in the title game on July 14.

“We knew it was going to be tough because we played them on Saturday (July 13),” Ferrel said. “They had a strong pitcher. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy to score.”

Des Sorci led the way on offense.

Sorci batted 3-for-3 from the plate with one triple and one RBI.

She drove in the game-winning run.

Makaela Brown singled and scored on Sorci’s triple into the right-center gap in the bottom of the fifth inning.

“She (Sorci) got the job done at the right times,” Ferrel said. 

Sorci was also the winning pitcher.

She allowed three hits and totaled five strikeouts.

The Sizzle played flawless defense.

“We made all the routine plays,” Ferrel said.

Ceres topped the CenCal Aces (Fresno) 8-1 in the semifinals on July 14.

The Sizzle earned the top seed after besting all three of their opponents in pool play on July 13.

Ceres notched wins versus the Stockton Aloha Pride (9-1), King City Lobos (4-1) and Manteca Posse (6-0).

Ceres has placed in two of four tournaments this summer.

The Sizzle finished first in Madera and second in Elk Grove.

Ceres plans to play in an AST Tournament, July 26-27, in Hayward.