Merced High softball wins thriller over Atwater in key CCC showdown
The Merced High School softball team took another step closer to a Central California Conference championship on Thursday, defeating second-place Atwater in thrilling fashion, 9-8.
The Bears improved to 8-0 in the CCC and lead Atwater (6-2) by two games, with two still to play.
After Merced built an 8-4 lead over four innings, visiting Atwater stunned the Bears with a four-run fifth inning to tie the game.
Merced responded, though, and scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning on Emma Ramirez’s walk-off single.
“In my mind, I’m just saying, ‘Stay calm, stay calm,’ “ Ramirez, a sophomore, told Shawn Jansen of the Merced Unified High School District. “I was trying to stay composed and that’s how I was able to get the hit.”
Junior Mariah Higareda and sophomore Abigail Rosa each drove in two runs for the Bears, who overcame a poor defensive effort having committed five errors. Rosa also stole two bases. Junior Antonia Lejarde homered for Merced.
Senior Genesis Velasquez had two RBIs for Atwater.
Merced (17-3 overall) finishes the season next week at third-place Buhach Colony (5-3) on Tuesday and at home against El Capitan (2-6) on Thursday.
Merced has given Atwater its only two CCC losses; the Bears beat the Falcons 2-1 on April 14.
Here’s a look at the CCC softball standings heading into the final weeks of the season:
- Merced 8-0
- Atwater 6-2
- Buhach Colony 5-3
- Los Banos 2-5
- El Capitan 2-6
- Golden Valley 0-7
This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 8:28 AM.
