Big sixth inning lifts Ceres to WAC baseball win over rival CV

True to his word, Ceres High center fielder Ismael Ontiveros came through for first-year coach Clint Goblirsch.

Ontiveros’ two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning snapped a 2-2 tie and opened the floodgates as the Bulldogs beat crosstown rival Central Valley 7-3 in the Western Athletic Conference baseball opener Wednesday at Art McRae Field.

But Ontiveros’ promise had more to do with sibling rivalries than the crosstown variety.

Goblirsch was managing against his brother, Hawks skipper Derrick Goblirsch, for the first time.

“I talked about it with him, personally, before the game,” said Ontiveros. “I go, ‘Coach, are you ready? … I’ve got you here; I’ll help you get this win’ .”

More importantly to Clint Goblirsch, like his brother, a graduate of Ceres High School, is that his Bulldogs have a one-game cushion as the series shifts to Central Valley for Thursday’s series finale.

“It’s fun, it’s competitive … it’s kind of like a chess match,” said Clint Goblirsch, whose Bulldogs improve to 7-2. “I’m glad we came out on top and were able to put it together.”

WAC games normally are contested on Wednesdays and Fridays, but the teams will play Game 2 of their set on Thursday because of the Good Friday holiday.

“I look forward to doing it again,” said Derrick Goblirsch, whose team falls to 5-4-2. “It was fun to be on the other side and battling with him.”

It would’ve been even more fun for the CV coach had his team held on for the victory.

After the Hawks took a 2-0 lead in the first, pitcher Ty Borchardt blanked Ceres for four innings before the ’Dogs struck for a run in the fifth.

In the sixth, after a single and a pair of walks off reliever Alex Solis, the stage was set for Ontiveros.

“I got a fastball and I was just looking to go middle-away with it,” said the Ceres center fielder. “I tend to have a problem with pulling off on the ball so I decided sit back and rake a fastball. I got one right down the middle and I took it to left center.”

Two batters later, No. 3 hitter Ricky Lopez hit a single that bounced over third baseman Mikie Lopez’s head and plated another two runs to make it 6-2.

Austin Kubala grounded out to short to plate the final run of the frame.

Central Valley struck for a run in the top of the seventh, getting a two-out double from Solis and a run-scoring single from Andrew Sen before Lopez induced a grounder to first for the game’s final out.

This story was originally published March 24, 2016 at 10:23 AM with the headline "Big sixth inning lifts Ceres to WAC baseball win over rival CV."