Page 9 - Mid Valley Times 6-24-21 E-edition

Dinuba softball bags DII title
Thursday, June 24, 2021
County All-Star football posts a
shutout
MVT Staff Report
It was all County, with a strong home- town flavor, in the renewal of the City- County All-Star foot- ball game last week.
Led by game MVP D.J. Stevenson of Cen- tral High and a domi- nating defense, the County — guided by George Pena and his fellow Sanger High coaching staff — rolled to a 35-0 shut- out victory in the 66th edition of the all-star game before a good crowd at Sanger's Tom Flores Stadium on a hot Friday night on June 18. It was the
See COUNTY on page A15
Critical meeting for youth soccer in
Sanger
July 1 meeting could determine future of SYSL
MVT Staff Report
Sanger Youth Soc- cer League officials have scheduled a pub- lic meeting next week to discuss the future of the league.
The open meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 1, at Greenwood Park, and will update the public on the status of SYSL. At present, the league is in need
SeeSYSLonpage A15
Lady Emps fall 4-3 to Oxnard in SoCal regionals
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
The third time was a charm for the Dinuba High softball team.
After tough losses in the Central Section title games in 2018 and 2019 – and a lost 2020 season and delayed '21 cam- paign because of COVID-19 — the Lady Emps put it together with a three-game run, includ- ing an 8-3 win over Tulare Western on June 15 and capped by a 2-0 victory over the Selma Bears on June 18.
But the postseason magic ended for Dinuba, which had earned a number two seed in the Southern California re- gional playoffs. Visiting Ox- nard High rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh in- ning to knock off the hosts by a 4-3 score on June 22, ending a memorable 17-7 season.
Two graduated seniors, Faith Hernandez and Erica Flores, were the mainstays in
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
Dinuba High's Erica Flores smiled watching her celebrating teammates flop on their backs as she touched home plate after homering in an 8-3 Division II section semifinal victory over Tulare Western on June 15. Flores and the Lady Emps blanked league rival Selma 2-0 on June 18 at DHS to capture the section DII championship, then but saw their season end with a 4-3 SoCal Regional playoff loss to Oxnard High.
More about Dinuba High softball on page A4
Dinuba's title win against Sel- ma. Hernandez went 3-for-3 and launched a two-run home run to left in the first inning
and Flores made it stand up by working around eight hits to pitch the shutout.
"It was right up the middle, my perfect spot," said Hernan- dez of the home run on an 0-2 count. "I saw it, and I went for it."
Flores had just two strike- outs and a walk, but received outstanding defensive plays from outfielders Alyssa Her- nandez and Danielle Munoz, respectively, cutting down bas-
See LADY EMPS on page A15
Reedley High baseball edged late in semifinals
Two Top 5 finishes
for SHS girls at
section track meet
MVT Staff Report
The Reedley High Pirates' dream of a Division III section baseball championship was de- railed in the final inning of the semifinals.
The North Sequoia League champion Kerman Lions ral- lied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh to stun the Pi- rates, 4-3, ending a 22-7-1 sea- son highlighted by a nine-game win streak to close out the reg- ular season. Reedley followed its second place North Yosem- ite League season with playoff wins over Dinuba and Indepen- dence.
"I am very proud of the play- ers and what they were able to do this year," said RHS coach Russ Sauceda. "they worked hard all year despite the dis-
Danny Jimenez / Photo Contributed
Reedley High's Matt Diaz slid safely into home to score a run for the Pi- rates during a 4-3 loss to Kerman in the Division III section semifinals on June 16.
nals, where they dropped a 3-2 decision to Ridgecrest High from Bakersfield.
Junior Will Gagnon pitched six-plus innings and struck out 10, finishing the season with a 10-3 record and 137 strikeouts in 81 innings.
"I would like to thank the friends and family members that traveled with us all year," Sauceda said. "Their support and the support of the commu- nity is greatly appreciated."
TRACK AND FIELD Sanger well-represented at section Masters meet
Sanger High's County Met- ro Athletic Conference cham- pion boys and girls teams were well-represented at the June 19 Central Section Master track and field meet at Buchanan High's Veterans Stadiums. The
tractions." Those distractions included playing home games at Immanuel Sports Complex as the Pirates' varsity diamond was rebuilt and remodeled.
Hector Palomara collect- ed three hits against Kerman
while David Pimentel and Sam- my Estala each had two hits. Reedley rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to take the lead into the seventh inning. But a two- run walk off single by the Lions advanced them to the section fi-
Erica Flores
Dinuba High
softball
Dinuba High's Erica Flores tossed a eight-hit shutout in a 2-0 victory over Selma High in the CIF Central Section Division II finals on June 18.The senior right-hander also picked up the pitching win and homered in an 8-3 semifinal victory over Tulare Western on June 15. Flores has an 18-4 pitching record this season through the Selma game, and has helped lead the Lady Emps to the Southern California Regional playoffs.
See PREPS on page A15
PREPS ROUNDUP
Thanks, Reedley.
I love being here to help
life go rightTM in a community where people are making a difference every day.
Thank you for all you do.
I love
this town.
of the Week
Will Gagnon Reedley High baseball
Reedley High junior pitcher Will Gagnon worked six plus innings and struck out 10 in a season-ending playoff loss to Kerman on June 16. The right-hander also picked up a victory and save in previous playoff games, and finished
the season with a 10-3 record, 1.12 earned
run average and 137 strikeouts in 81 innings of work.
REEDLEY 555 I STREET
559-638-2300
www.xceleratefitness.com
Athlete
007269
007270