Roundup: Oakdale High baseball leans on vets; Central Catholic, Ceres win big softball games
Johnny Wylie has grown up with a lot of the seniors on the Oakdale High baseball team.
Wylie, who pitches and plays outfield for the Mustangs, knows that the team’s veteran presence is an advantage that can help the team accomplish its main goal.
“Sections, man,” Wylie said. “We’re just grinding it out, trying to get a championship.”
Oakdale (9-5, 3-1 Valley Oak League) has a 19-man roster, 12 of whom are seniors.
Joey Machado is in his first season as head coach after spending the previous seven years as an assistant in the Mustangs baseball program, and he admits a team this veteran heavy is something he’s not used to seeing.
“I haven’t seen a senior class this big, which is awesome,” Machado said. “We want kids to play all four years here. Seeing all 12 here really means a lot to our program.”
Seniors dominate nearly every statistical category for the Mustangs. They claim four of the top six spots in at-bats and plate appearances. They account for five of the top six batting averages among players with 20 or more at-bats and have 43 of the team’s 59 RBIs.
They took that offensive production into Friday afternoon’s non-league game against Ceres, winning in a lopsided affair.
The Mustangs put up 11 runs in the first inning of the five-inning, 18-3 victory. They took advantage of the early lead, giving players who usually just practice meaningful in-game experience. All 19 players got into the game.
“It was awesome for us to get everyone in,” Machado said. “It was cool for us to get in guys that have been working hard in practice and give them opportunities.”
Wylie, Cade Galuppi and Devon Rogers combined to strike out four and allow eight hits. Oakdale didn’t give up a run until the third. By the end of the inning, the score was 18-2.
“It’s a cushion, but you still gotta throw strikes and pound the zone,” Wylie said on his mindset when pitching with a lead. “You can’t give up free bags.”
The game served as a learning experience for the Bulldogs (5-11, 5-1 WAC).
The Western Athletic Conference’s second-place team couldn’t get things going as it has many times this season.
“Give them credit, they came out, they swung and they jumped out early,” Ceres coach Clinton Goblirsch said. “We just gotta focus on getting back to work and coming back out next week.”
The bright spot for the Bulldogs was the third inning.
After scoring two runs in the top half, Eli Beltran pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the third with two strikeouts.
“We showed a little fight there towards the end,” Goblirsch said. “You’ve got to make sure that you finish strong at all times. … I was proud of my guys for that.”
Both teams resume league play this week.
Oakdale plays a two-game series with Central Catholic with games Tuesday, April 5, and Thursday, April 7.
Ceres takes on Pacheco on Monday, April 4, and Wednesday, April 6.
Pitman 13, Downey 3: The area’s top team returned to form after an 8-7 loss on Wednesday. The Pride host the Knights on Saturday morning in the final game of the season series.
Turlock 18, Enochs 1: Enochs (10-5, 3-2 CCAL) won the first of the three-game series on Wednesday 18-8 but the Bulldogs (9-6, 3-2) scored five or more runs in the first, second and fourth innings Friday. With the series tied at 1-1, the two teams play the final game Saturday morning.
Millennium 14, Big Valley Christian 0: The Lions (2-8, 0-2 CCAA) dropped their eighth straight with Friday’s loss. They were shut out in both matchups with the Falcons. Millennium’s Anthony Boswell didn’t allow a hit, struck out eight batters and had three RBIs.
Hughson 22, Modesto Christian 0: The Huskies (10-4, 5-1 TVL) opened up an 11-run lead after the first and didn’t look back in Friday’s Trans-Valley League game. Freshman Robert McDaniel had two hits and four RBIs and combined with freshman Carlos Guizar and sophomore Caleb Wilson on the mound for six strikeouts and one hit allowed.
Buhach Colony 6, Ripon 5: The Thunder (13-3, 3-1 CCC) completed the three-game sweep of the Indians (9-5, 4-0 TVL) in Friday’s non-league game. Ripon continues TVL play Monday on the road against Riverbank and Buhach Colony hosts El Capitan in its next Central California Conference game.
Central Valley 4, Patterson 1: The Hawks (7-7, 3-3 CCC) won Friday’s road league game thanks to stellar pitching. Starter Senior Gabrial Lopez went six innings, striking out nine and allowing one hit. Junior Ryan Estermann came on in relief to strike out one batter, allowing one hit and a run.
Livingston 3, Hilmar 2: The Yellowjackets (8-6, 4-2 TVL) split the season series with Livingston after Friday’s loss. Hilmar won the first game on Wednesday 11-1.
Softball
Davis 15, Johansen 14: The Spartans (7-5, 3-3) beat the Vikings in their first Western Athletic Conference meeting. Both teams continue league play Wednesday. Davis will play the league’s second-best team, Ceres, and Johansen travels to Beyer.
Ceres 18, Mountain House 0: The Bulldogs (9-7, 5-1) bounced back from Wednesday’s league loss to Los Banos, scoring six runs in the second and fifth innings en route to their fifth Western Athletic Conference win. Friday’s win was Ceres’ fourth shutout victory this season.
Central Catholic 3, East Union 0: Randi Roelling struck out 16 as the Raiders (14-1-1, 4-0 VOL) beat the Lancers for their 11th win in a row. The offense got off to a slow start, but scored all three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, giving Central Catholic the cushion it needed.
Gustine 19, Waterford 12: Madden Hill’s team-high five RBIs weren’t enough to propel the Wildcats (1-9, 1-5) to victory over the Southern League’s sixth-place team. Hannah Bibbins added three RBIs in the loss. They will continue league play Wednesday as they host Denair.
Orestimba 11, Mariposa County 1: Junior Jacquelyn Lujan struck out 16 in the sixth straight win for the Warriors (9-3, 5-0 SL). Junior Joslyn Sotelo and freshmen Hannah Taft and Sophia Machado finished with two RBIs each.
