Almost a month into baseball and softball seasons, who are top players and teams?
Modesto-area high school baseball and softball teams have started league season while others begin shortly. Here are some of the top programs in the area:
Baseball
Turlock (4-3) — Senior outfielder/pitcher Garret Fountain is hitting .421. Junior catcher Tyler Soderstrom is committed to UCLA and has a .400 average. He hasn’t committed an error.
Oakdale (4-3) — Senior catcher Max Moore has gotten off to a slow start with a .167 batting average, but still leads the team with five RBIs. Moore hit .400 last year. The Mustangs have allowed only nine runs in 45 innings.
Beyer (4-5) — It’s been a rough start for the defending CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Div. III champions, who have endured a five-game losing streak. However, the Patriots won their last two games. Senior pitcher McKay Bundy is 1-0 with two saves and a 2.27 earned run average.
Hughson (9-0) — The Huskies are off to a sizzling start, hitting .344 as a team. Senior catcher/third baseman Brian Haslam has a .533 batting average and 13 RBIs. Junior pitcher Seth Garza is 3-0 with a 0.29 ERA and has three complete games. The Huskies open Trans-Valley League play Tuesday against Modesto Christian.
Modesto Christian (5-1) — Modesto Christian is quick (21 stolen bases) and deep (five solid hitters). Sophomore Cameron Butler has struck out 25 in 13 innings.
Big Valley Christian (8-2) — Senior shortstop/pitcher Tyler Meyer has been one of the top players in the area. Meyer, who already has hit for the cycle and thrown a no-hitter, leads the section with 19 runs scored, is tied for first with 34 strikeouts, and is third with 16 RBIs. He is hitting .658.
Ripon Christian (4-3) — The Knights, who won the Div. VI title last year, have been led by juniors Nolan Lingley and Drew VanVuren. Both are hitting .421 with nine RBIs. Lingley has two homers.
Softball
Enochs (5-1-1) — The Eagles have scored at least nine runs in four games and are 2-0 in Central California Athletic League play with wins over Downey and Turlock.
Gregori (4-6) — Senior infielder/pitcher and Colorado State signee Maikyla Nelson has two home runs and 13 RBIs and a 1.07 ERA. Senior Kylie Cox, a Long Beach State signee, is hitting .345 with nine runs scored.
Turlock (4-3) — Senior pitcher Shelby Frutoz is fifth in the section with 55 strikeouts and has a 0.74 ERA. She has signed with Long Beach State.
Oakdale (7-0-1) — Senior first baseman/pitcher Lexi Webb is doing it all for the Mustangs. She is fifth in the section with a .692 batting average and has yet to allow a run in 19 innings. Webb has signed with Fresno State and has 37 strikeouts.
Ceres (5-2) — Senior Shania Evans has two home runs and 13 RBIs. Five Bulldogs are hitting over .400.
Ripon (6-0) — The Indians beat Escalon 9-8 in nine innings on Friday to remain undefeated. Ripon has scored over nine runs in every game.
Escalon (4-5-1) — The two-time defending Div. V champions suffered their first Trans-Valley League loss since 2016 against Ripon. Sophomore Malia Babasa has eight stolen bases and senior Arabella Strach has two home runs.
Ripon Christian (5-2) — Like the Cougars, the Knights have won the last two Div. VII championships. Junior Elizabeth Thomas is tied for third in the section with 17 RBIs. Junior Morgan Van Elderen leads the team with 11 runs scored.
Waterford (6-1) — Junior Tawni McCarthy has been the best player for the Wildcats this year. She is tied for third in the section with six wins and fourth with 67 strikeouts. She sports a .583 batting average with two home runs and eight RBIs.
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Stanislaus District Baseball and Softball leaders, according to MaxPreps
Baseball
Batting Average: Big Valley Christian senior Tyler Meyer (fifth, .658)
Home Runs: Livingston senior Cesar Avila (T-2nd, 3)
RBIs: Escalon senior Cole Gilbert (1st, 18), Meyer (third, 16), Big Valley Christian sophomore Thommy Brown (fourth, 14), Hughson senior Brian Haslam (fifth, 13)
Runs: Meyer (first, 19), Big Valley Christian sophomore Briggs Alavezos (second, 16), Hughson senior Derek Avila (third, 15), Hughson junior Jeremiah Langan (T-4th, 14) Escalon senior Lucca Dutra (T-4th, 14)
Wins: Hughson senior Seth Garza (T-3rd, 3)
Earned Run Average: Johansen senior Elias De La Torre (T-1st, 0.00), Oakdale junior Brett Maddock (T-1st, 0.00)
Strikeouts: Meyer (T-1st, 34), Brown (fourth, 33), Central Valley freshman Gabriel Lopez (fifth, 32)
Softball
Batting Average: Oakdale senior Lexi Webb (fourth, .692)
Home Runs: Modesto junior Hollee Travao (T-2nd, 3)
RBIs: Hughson junior Kali Gose (T-2nd, 17), Ripon Christian junior Elizabeth Thomas (T-2nd, 17), Davis junior Sheridan Gulley (T-5th, 16)
Runs: Gose (T-2nd, 17), Hughson sophomore Katie Thornsberry (T-fifth, 15)
Wins: Waterford junior Tawni McCarty (T-3rd, 6), Davis junior Leila Ruiz (T-3rd, 6)
Earned Run Average: Webb (T-1st, 0.00), Turlock senior Shelby Frutoz (T-4th, 0.74)
Strikeouts: McCarty (fourth, 67), Frutoz (fifth, 55)
