El Capitan pitches another shutout in section playoff opener. Here’s what happened
The El Capitan High baseball team went into the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 3 tournament on a roll with five consecutive shutout wins
The seventh-seeded Guachos did it again on Wednesday, defeating 10th-seeded Sierra of Manteca 10-0 at home in their playoff opener.
Senior Benny Centeno pitched six scoreless innings and the El Capitan offense scored six runs in the third inning to blow the game open.
Centeno allowed just two hits and two walks, and struck out seven Sierra batters. It was another in a string of strong outings by an El Capitan pitcher.
“Our pitching staff has done an excellent job of attacking the strike zone and trusting our defense to make plays behind them,” El Capitan coach Aaron Ruiz told Shawn Jansen of the Merced County Union High School District. “They’ve mixed pitches well, competed consistently, and done a great job limiting free bases, which is always a key factor in any game.”
The Gauchos, who won the Central California Conference and are 22-7 overall, next travel to face second-seeded Vista del Lago of Folsom on Friday at 4 p.m.
Vista del Lago defeated 15th-seeded River Valley 9-1 on Wednesday.
Friday’s winner will advance to the best-of-three semifinals next week.
In other action Wednesday:
- Atwater, which finished second to El Capitan in the CCC and was the 11th seed in the Division 2 tournament, lost to sixth-seeded Del Oro 5-4. The Falcons led 3-1 after two innings, but couldn’t hold the lead.
- Two other Merced County teams lost their Division 3 openers: Pacheco, seeded 11th, lost to Ponderosa of Shingle Springs 5-2; and Buhach Colony, seeded 12th, fell to 10-0 to Christian Brothers.
- Los Banos, seeded 15th in Division 4, was shut out by Central Catholic, 6-0.
- In Division 6, 11th-seeded Hilmar upset Summerville 11-8. Le Grand, the 10th seed, lost to Bret Harte 10-0.
