Sports Notes: Pitman’s Cervantes twins clutch in Modesto All-Star baseball game
Sure, it was just an all-star game, but Nathan Cervantes wanted to win.
So, with his team trailing by a run, and runners on second and third in the eighth inning, he knew he had to make a play.
He lined a hit to the outfield, driving in the two runs, helping his Blue team turn a 7-6 deficit into an 8-7 advantage.
“Honestly, I went up there with nothing to lose,” he said. “I was trying to do whatever I could to help the team win because when I came in, we were down.”
Cervantes didn’t know when he’d get the call, but he knew he had to be ready. He was playing in his final game in a Pitman High School cap at the 2025 Modesto Sunrise Rotary All-Star Game at John Thurman Field, home of the Modesto Nuts, on Saturday.
He went 2-for-2 and drove in three runs, doing enough to take home game MVP honors and power his team to a 9-8 win over the Gold All-Star team.
“This game is just for fun … but I still want to compete and do what I can to help the team,” he said.
But Cervantes’ work wasn’t done. He then got behind the plate to work as a batterymate with his twin brother, Noah, for the eighth and ninth innings.
The two started for the Pride this season, leading them to a playoff appearance, but their roles were different. Nathan, a starter at backstop all season, came on as a substitute, and Noah, one of the Pride’s starting pitchers, came on in a relief role Saturday.
“They (coaches) told me I was going to pitch the ninth, but when we got down, they told me I was going in the eighth,” Noah said. “We got the go-ahead runs (in the eighth inning) we got the lead and went out there and shut them down. They asked me if I wanted to go (pitch in the ninth inning) and I said yeah, why not?”
Though the two will play on the same team at Santa Barbara City College next season, Saturday could have been their last time as a pitcher-catcher duo. It was only fitting they closed out the win together. Nathan, the older brother by two minutes, driving in two runs and Noah shutting the door.
With his twin brother behind the plate, Noah pitched in the eighth and the ninth, allowing a run in the bottom of the ninth.
“Having him as my wall back there, we just have the kind of chemistry that no other pitcher and catcher have,” Noah said.
The Gold team jumped out to a comfortable lead early, powered by a pair of bases-loaded hits and a fifth-inning home run over the left-field fence by Hughson shortstop Beau Blake. The Gold team held a 7-3 advantage after six innings.
The Blue team scored once in the seventh inning, and Nathan Cervantes’ two-RBI hit was part of a four-run eighth inning, giving the Blue team its first lead since the top of the second. Each team added a run in the ninth inning.
Former Beyer softball player returns to California
Former Beyer softball player Allison “Gator” Robinson is heading back to California after two years at Boston College. The infielder entered the transfer portal after a coaching change and decided to bring her talents closer to home, committing to Cal Berkeley for her junior year. Robinson started in every game of her two-year career as an Eagle, starting in 57 games as a freshman and 51 as a sophomore. During the 2025 season, she finished tied for first on the team in runs scored (32), tied for fifth in hits (28), fourth in doubles (7), led the team in assists and was one of four Boston College players with at least 100 chances and a .930 fielding percentage.
Former Bee POY transfers to father’s alma mater
Former Bee football and baseball Player of the Year TP Wentworth has picked his new destination after one season as a two-way player for Clemson. He announced on his Instagram account Wednesday afternoon that he committed to Oklahoma State, where his dad, Kevin, was an All-American golfer. Wentworth made 11 pitching appearances with nine innings pitched and eight strikeouts as a freshman at Clemson. It was rumored that Wentworth hit the transfer portal June 13. He earned most of his playing time for the Tigers in the outfield and really came on during the last part of the season. He earned three straight starts in the final conference series against Pittsburgh at right field and never came out of the lineup because of clutch offensive production and stellar defensive plays. He hit .220 with 11 hits, three doubles, seven RBI and stole two bases.
Soderstrom among top All-Star vote-getters
The first MLB All-Star voting returns came back and Turlock High graduate and current Athletics’ player Tyler Soderstrom is among the top outfield vote-getters. Soderstrom started his professional career as a catcher and played first base but was recently moved to left field. After the first round of votes, which were released Monday, Soderstrom is 14th among American League outfielders with 218,444 votes. Linden native and New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is first, with Detroit Tiger Riley Greene and Los Angeles Angel Mike Trout rounding out the top three, respectively.
Soderstrom is posting career highs in every statistical category to start the season. As of Wednesday, in 75 games, the 23-year-old has 69 hits, 11 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, 45 RBI, 33 walks, 38 runs scored and is batting .250.
Soderstrom’s teammate, rookie Jacob Wilson, led all American League shortstops with 562,696 votes.
Central Catholic football players earn offers
Central Catholic High football players had good showings at recent camp appearances, earning them Division I scholarship offers. Running back/defensive back Carter Meeks and receiver/defensive back Chase Perino each piqued the interest of college recruiters and posted their recent offers on their respective X accounts.
Meeks picked up an offer from Portland State after winning MVP at the Northwest Showcase at Western Oregon University on June 17. He also recently went on a visit to Sacramento State, which continues to heavily recruit both in the transfer portal and at high schools in Northern California and the Central Valley. Meeks has five Division I offers: Sacramento State, Nevada, San Diego State, Washington State and Portland State.
Perino, who already holds a Division I offer from Sacramento State, competed at a camp at the University of Redlands. Days later, he announced a scholarship offer from Fresno State University. Perino has been to multiple camps on college campuses this summer, also participating in a camp at Boise State University.
Hughson’s McDaniel earns fourth D-I offer
Hughson High’s rising senior receiver Bryce McDaniel continues to pull in Division I scholarship offers after impressive performances at summer exposure events. The 6-foot-4 pass catcher recently posted on his X account that he received an offer from Fresno State after a standout performance at the school’s 7-on-7 tournament. Fresno State is the third school to offer McDaniel in 2025. San Jose State offered in February and New Mexico State offered this spring while McDaniel starred for the Huskies baseball team. He also has an offer from Washington State.
