Central Catholic baseball begins D-III section title defense with shutout first round win

The games have intensified, the runs are more important and members of the Central Catholic baseball team have once again bleached their hair. That can only mean playoff baseball is here.

Tuesday, the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section baseball playoffs kicked off with the opening round for Divisions I through III. Last season, the Raiders rode hot bats, solid pitching and their new blonde hair to Division III section and NorCal titles.

This year, they started their postseason hot, beating Weston Ranch at home in a No. 3 vs No. 14 matchup, 7-0.

Nearly everyone on the team has their hair already bleached in what has become an act of solidarity that they hope will propel them through yet another deep playoff run. Anyone who has not participated yet likely will before they host No. 6 Manteca Thursday at 4 p.m.

“It’s the boys,” Central Catholic coach Danny Ayala sais. “We get into the playoffs and the boys always have those bonding moments. They take care of things and it’s a great team thing. One goes and then everyone is bleaching their hair.”

Clemson-bound TP Wentworth got the start in the Raiders’ (18-8) playoff opener. He threw six shutout innings, striking out 13 and giving up just one hit. Fellow senior Joe Salacup closed, facing just three batters in the seventh to secure the win.

The Raiders wasted no time jumping on Weston Ranch (16-12) starting pitcher Ayden Tinsley as Fresno State signee Adrian Garcia scored on a wild pitch to give his team a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Fernando Alaniz recorded the game’s first RBI with a single to center field. The Raiders’ offense was quiet until the fifth inning, when it erupted for five runs highlighted by a Wentworth home run to left center field, a Kayden McHenry bases loaded, two-RBI single and a two-run single by Wesley Payne.

“We did enough on the bases and scored enough runs. That’s a team win. Just do everything really well,” Ayala said.

Their reward is a rematch with Valley Oak League rival Manteca, which beat Del Campo 3-1 in a 10-inning thriller. The Raiders were shut out in their first contest against the Buffaloes but went on to win the final two matchups of the three-game set to take the season series.

They hope to advance to the section semifinals for the third straight season. If they advance, they will play a three-game series against the winner of No. 7 Vista del Lago and No. 2 Oakdale.

“Everybody’s good,” said Ayala, who is in his eighth season as the Raiders’ head coach. “I’ve been coaching long enough to know it’s baseball, you got to come out and play good baseball or you go home.”

More baseball playoffs

Division I

No. 12 Enochs 5, No. 5 Lodi 1: In his first-ever playoff action, Enochs pitcher Kannon Sharpe shined under the lights, going the full seven innings, striking out 10 while giving up just one earned run to earn the win. Nicholas Poulus had a team-high two hits and four others each drove in a run. After upsetting the Flames, Enochs travels to Division I No. 4 seed Oak Ridge Thursday.

No. 7 Oak Ridge 7, No. 13 Central Valley 3: The Hawks scored the game’s first two runs and led through the first two innings, but six total unanswered runs in the third and fourth innings gave the Trojans a lead Central Valley could not overcome. Edgar Peralta had a team-high two hits, one being a double.

No. 3 Rocklin 2, No. 14 Downey 0: The CCAL’s third-place team gave the SFL champions all they could handle in their first-round pitchers duel. Both teams were scoreless through four and a half innings before the Thunder scored both of their runs in the bottom of the fifth. The Knights’ only hit was an infield single in the top of the seventh.

No. 7 Turlock, No. 10 McClatchy 2: Talan Castro had three total hits including a two-run inside-the-park home run and had a pair of RBI in Turlock’s CIF-SJS D-I home first-round playoff win over the Lions. Carson Gonzales pitched 6.1 innings, struck out 10 and did not allow an earned run. Turlock travels to Elk Grove to play defending champion, No. 2 Franklin Thursday.

Division II

No. 12 Patterson 5, No. 5 Vacaville 2: The Tigers were the second 12-seed to upset a No. 5 in the top two divisions. Sophomore Max Medina went the full seven innings and Noah Cozart drove in a team-high three runs and had two hits. The Tigers travel to No. 4 Elk Grove Thursday.

Division III

No. 2 Oakdale 9, No. 15 Beyer 3: The Patriots struck first in the top of the third when Justin Capell singled home Izaiah Ishihara in the third. Oakdale answered with six runs in the bottom half of the inning, taking a lead they would never give up. Eight Mustangs recorded a hit and five recorded an RBI. Oakdale hosts No. 7 Vista del Lago Thursday.

Division IV

No. 6 El Dorado 12, No. 11 Orestimba 2: The Warriors’ season came to an end after their five-inning first-round game in the Division IV postseason. The Cougars erupted for 11 runs in the bottom of the second inning, Orestimba scored a run in each the first and fifth innings and El Dorado walked it off in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Wednesday first-round schedule

Division V

No. 5 Escalon at No. 4 Summerville

No. 7 Ben Holt College Prep at No. 2 Hughson

Division VI

No. 5 Millennium at No. 4 Ripon Christian

Division VII

No. 5 Golden Sierra at No.4 Turlock Christian at Pedretti Park

Softball

Oakdale 6, Central Catholic 3: Oakdale secured a share of the VOL title Tuesday with an impressive win. Raegen Everett struck out seven batters in seven innings and had two hits with a triple and drove in a team-high two RBI. Presley Barnes and Jayci Volonte added a pair of hits to lead the Mustangs. Central Catholic put together a 12-hit effort but could only convert it to three runs, two in the fifth and one in the seventh. The two teams will play one final game Thursday to determine who gets the higher seed in the Division III playoff bracket.

Orestimba 13, Mariposa County 6: Sophia Machado, Mariah Avila and Belany Martens each recorded multi-hit games for the Warriors, who secured their 10th league win. They sit in third place with a final contest against Gustine Thursday.

Ripon 3, Riverbank 2: Ripon won Tuesday’s Trans Valley League finale in walk-off fashion. Senior Jaycee Wilmhurst doubled in the bottom of the eighth, scoring sophomore Addyson Wilmhurst to secure a perfect 10-0 league record. Pitcher Kharime Caratachea threw all eight innings and struck out 14.

Gregori 14, Downey 4: Gregori put the finishing touches on its perfect CCAL season with a win over the Knights. NeVaeh Scheper drove in a team-high three runs and was one of seven Jaguars to record an extra-base hit. Kailey Estes and Allyson Conway combined for nine strikeouts.

Ceres 21, Davis 1: The Bulldogs secured the outright WAC championship Tuesday with a five-inning win over the Spartans. Alizae Cole drove in a game-high four runs while four other Bulldogs added a pair of RBI.

Beyer 13, Johansen 4: Four Patriots drove in two runs to lead Beyer to its sixth WAC win. Beyer ends the regular season with three straight wins. Juniors Jordyn Lish and Chelsee Toon pitched. Lish struck out 12 in five innings and Toon struck out six in two innings.

Big Valley Christian 13, Millennium 0: The Lions moved one win closer to a perfect CCAA record with a five-inning victory over the Falcons. Ava Hernandez struck out nine in the complete game effort. Sophomore Kailey Rivera hit a triple, two home runs and drove in a single-game career-high six runs.

Turlock 12, Pitman 9: Despite a pair of hits with a home run and four RBI from Rylee Reeves, Pitman could not pull out a CCAL win over its crosstown rival. Turlock locked up third place in the league with the win.

Enochs 6, Modesto 1: Natalie Camarena struck out 14 batters and allowed just one earned run in 6.2 innings pitched, hit a triple and drove in a team-high three runs for the Eagles, who secured second place in the CCAL. Junior Aaliyah Williams drove in the Panthers’ only run.