Page 9 - Dinuba Sentinel 5-9-19 E-edition

Sports
“Winning the league title outright is awesome, it’s a great feeling.”
DHS softball coach Bryan Patterson
The Dinuba Sentinel
B1
Thursday, May 9, 2019 DHS Softball
George M. Villagrana | The Dinuba Sentinel
Dinuba High softball coach Bryan Patterson knew coming into the season all the pieces were in place to have another solid season.
After posting an overall record of 22-6 and winning the Central Sequoia League title outright with a 10-2 mark, the Emperors secured the top spot in the Central Section Division III playoffs.
“It’s finally here,” said coach Bryan Patterson of the post season.
Dinuba received a first-round bye and will host either Taft or Kerman this afternoon, according to Patterson. A victory would advance DHS to the semifinals on Tuesday.
“I told the team it’s a new season,”
DHS Baseball
Alexa Garcia gets ready to record an out at first base during a 5-0 win over Exeter. The Emperors clinched the CSL crown and head into the playoffs as the top seed in Division 3.
Lady Emps earn top seed
By George M. Villagrana
Patterson said. “We’re going to get everyone’s best shot. There are no do-overs, it’s one and done, but the girls are up to it. They put in the hard work to get the No. 1 seed and are ready to run with it.”
The Emperors had to take care of some business first against visiting Exeter on May 2. The two teams resumed a game that was called due to inclement weather from April 2. Dinuba closed out a 10-6 win before posting an impressive 5-0 shutout to clinch the league crown.
“Winning the league title outright is awesome, it’s a great feeling,” Patterson said.
Senior Kirsten Martinez tossed a complete game one-hitter and drove in a pair of runs.
The Emperors led 1-0 after the first inning on an RBI double from Martinez that scored Alexa Garcia, who hit a single to get on base.
In the bottom of the third, Martinez hit a sac fly to score Riley Bautista and a passed ball scored Garcia to push the lead to 3-0.
With Martinez in a groove, Dinuba would tack on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth as Garcia led off with a single and came around to score on a double by Juliana Flores. With two outs, Alyssa Hernandez’s came through with a single to score Flores.
Garcia scored three runs and finished the game with two hits. Flores also had two hits and scored a run.
See Lady Emps, Page B6
Sports@thedinubasentinel.com
Late surge secures playo bid
By George M. Villagrana
way.”
Dinuba is an 11th seed and was
scheduled to play at 6th seed Firebaugh in the opening round of the Div. III playoffs held on May 8. The two teams met a few weeks ago in the Fowler Easter Classic as the Emperors rallied to settle for a 2-all tie. An Emperors win secures another game against the winner of Pioneer Valley/Highland on Friday.
Morrelli said heading into the seedings meeting, he felt they could face either Firebaugh or Reedley.
“It would’ve been nice to play Reedley, because its closer but we got a great shot,” Morrelli said. “We’re kind of like a wild card team. I told the guys in
practice that you can beat anybody on any given day.”
Ochoa tossed a complete game six- hitter with five strikeouts to go along with a hit and scored twice as the Emperors improved to 11-12-2 and 6-6 in league while Exeter dropped to 19-9 and 7-5 in the CSL.
Dinuba’s offense was held to five hits by the pitching combination of Jaykob Acosta and Blake Crookshanks. The Monarchs were bitten by mistakes as they committed five errors.
The Emperors struck first in the top of the third when Ochoa, who drew a leadoff walk, scored on an error. In the
See Surge, Page B6
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Dinuba High found itself down 2-1 in the top of the seventh against Exeter on Thursday. The Emperors playoff hopes were on the line.
But Josh Escobedo’s single scored Sid Chavarin to tie the game. With the bases loaded Michael Gomez laced a single to centerfield driving in Isaiah Ochoa and Escobedo for a 4-2 lead. Ochoa, who was the starting pitcher, struck out the side in the bottom of the frame to secure a 4-2 win and a playoff berth.
“We got in and that’s a good feeling,” said coach Brent Morrelli. “We knew it was going to be tough but we found a
Sentinel file photo
DHS Golf
Dinuba places fourth at CSL Championships
Isaiah Ochoa pitched a complete-game six hitter as Dinuba beat Exeter, 4-2. The win helped the Emperors clinch a Division 3 playoff spot.
DHS Track and Field
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Sentinel staff
The Dinuba High boys golf team finished their season placing fourth overall at the Central Sequoia League Championships on April 29 at Kings Country Club in Hanford.
The Emperors had a team score of 480 as they trailed Exeter (477), Kingsburg (466) and eventual league champion Central Valley Christian (435).
Ashton Maldonado and Josh Veeder shared team-high honors with a 93. Jacob Rodriguez had a score of 94 while
David Montejano was a stroke behind at 95 and Andrew Tobias recorded a 105. Coach Carlos Barajas said the course
was tough and no one advanced to the Division 3 area meet that was held on May 6 in Visalia.
In a CSL mini tournament held on April 25 at Ridge Creek Golf Course, Dinuba finished fourth with a score of 250. CVC had the best score of the afternoon with 211 while Kingsburg came in at 231 just a stroke ahead of Exeter while Selma recorded a 277.
Maldonado led the team with a 48 while Montejano scored a 44 and Mark Baez shot a 51.s
OHS Track and Field
Vargas, Trevino pace Cardinals
In the 800 meters, Chris Martinez set a PR with a time of 2 minutes, 11.57 seconds to finish fourth overall. In the 400, Aiden Rodriguez was fifth in a time of 56.14.
David Ceceilio had a PR in the 3200 with a time of 11:32.03 as the senior finished ninth overall and he was 10th in the 1600 (5:04.08).
Vargas and Aaron De la Cruz were 9th and 10th with marks of 18-feet-2 1⁄4 inches and 18-1.
Freshman Victoria Trevino finished had a pair of fourth place finishes to pace the girls squad as Orosi was 5th with 26 points. Trevino was 4th in the triple jump with a mark of 30-feet-10 inches, the 100 hurdles in 19.45 and was fifth in the long jump with a personal best of 15-3.
Sophomore Melanie Davila had a PR in the 300 low hurdles with a time of 52 flat as she finished 2nd. Also recording
See Cardinals, Page B6
George M. Villagrana | The Dinuba Sentinel
Luzmi Ramirez (left) and Natalie Crisosto (right) are pictured in the girls 3200 meter run at the Central Sequoia League Championships held on May 1 at the Immanuel Sports Complex.
By George M. Villagrana
Emperors eye Valley meet
Sports@thedinubasentinel.com
By George M. Villagrana 1.
Orosi High senior Fernando Vargas won the boys triple jump with a mark of 38-feet-10 inches to highlight the Cardinals’ efforts at the All-Sierra Championships on May 1 in Fowler.
As a team, Orosi was fifth overall with 38.5 points trailing Fowler (40), Mendota (51), Coalinga (70) and California City, who racked up 118 points.
Chris Huerta finished second in the 110 and 300 meter hurdles. He posted a time of 16.91 in the 110, just .37 behind Mendota’s Marvin Cornejo, who won the 300 in 42.61, while Huerta clocked in a 43.64.
Claudio Vasquez was third in the 200 in a time of 23.58, just behind California City’s Chandler Howell (23.37) and Robert Mitchell (22.83). Vasquez was also tied for fifth with Julian Mendoza of Firebaugh as they were timed in 11.61.
Sports@thedinubasentinel.com
For several athletes on the Dinuba High track and field team a shot at qualifying for the Central Section Grand Masters meet is within reach.
Senior Jonathan Padilla along with Estevan Diaz, Devon Mendoza and Yazmine Villareal-Harris will be in the mix to make it to the May 18 finals at Buchanan.
Coach Lucas Lichtenwaldt said the meet is one of four area meets being held.
“They changed the format this year,” Lichtenwaldt said.
Lichtenwaldt said the top 3 finishers in each event at the four area meets move on. In addition, the six best remaining marks and times also advance, according to Lichtenwaldt.
All three athletes shined at the Central Sequoia League Championships on May
Padilla won the 1600 meters in a time of 4 minutes, 39.18 seconds and captured the 3200 meters in 10:42.50. He also ran the third leg on the team’s 4x400 meter relay team that finished third in 3:39.23. Other teammates were Jose Arreguin, Diego Estrada, and Fransciso Alburto.
Villareal-Harris won the shot put event with a throw of 36-feet-7 1⁄4 inches, nearly more than five feet from her nearest competitor and later won the discus with a throw of 112-0, that was more than seven feet better than the rest of the field.
Diaz also did well in the throwing events with a pair of 2nd place finishes and personal bests in the shot put (139- 10) and discus (48-10 1⁄2).
Devon Mendoza was second in the 110 hurdles in 17.74. That was a personal best for Mendoza, who also set a PR in the 300 hurdles in 42.86 that placed
Devon Mendoza
him 2nd overall. Michael Hernandez competed in the 100 hurdles and was ninth in 21.27 and in the 300 hurdles was seventh in 48.21. Mendoza teamed up with Alburto, Michael Wilson and Angel Lopez to place third in the 4x100 in 45.22.
See Meet, Page B6