Central Section baseball and softball championships are underway. Here’s what to know
The Central Section baseball and softball championships are this week as teams chase their respective titles.
The baseball championships started Wednesday at Valley Strong Ballpark in Visalia with top-seed Lemoore facing No. 7 Wasco.
The Tigers scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, highlighted by Nick Johnson’s run-scoring single to score Drake Varela, to pull out a 3-1 victory in the Division IV championship. It was the first section title in school history, according to section historian Bob Barnett.
The Tigers tied the score on Varela’s base hit. Lemoore scored their third run on a fielder’s choice.
The softball title games start at Margie Wright Diamond at Fresno State on Thursday.
The Bee takes a look at Fresno-area schools playing in championships with score predictions; Barnett provided details of number of titles won and last time won:
Division II: No. 2 Kingsburg vs. No. 5 Ridgeview, 7:30 p.m. Friday
How Kingsburg got there: d. Atascadero 3-1, Paso Robles 4-3, d. Washington Union 1-0
Records: Kingsburg 21-10; Ridgeview 20-11
Coaches: Kingsburg, Jim Cranford; Ridgeview, Robert Shahan
Titles won: Kingsburg 4 (2014); Ridgeview 1 (2021)
Prediction: Kingsburg 7, Ridgeview 5
Division III: No. 1 Fowler vs. No. 3 Morro Bay, 6 p.m. Thursday
How Fowler got there: d. El Diamante 6-2, Monache 4-1, Tehachapi 17-9
Records: Fowler 27-3; Morro Bay 26-5
Coaches: Fowler, Bill Feaver; Morro Bay, Jarred Zill
Titles won: Fowler 13 (2018); Morro Bay, none
Prediction: Fowler 10, Morro Bay 6
Division V: No. 2 Shafter vs. No. 4 Corcoran, 4 p.m. Friday
How Corcoran got there: d. Kennedy 8-0, d. McLane 3-1, d. Chavez 2-0
Records: Shafter 19-4; Corcoran 24-4
Coaches: Shafter, John Hill; Corcoran, Alan Shaw
Titles won: Shafter 1 (2014); Corcoran 2 (2012)
Prediction: Shafter 4, Corcoran 2
Division VI: No. 3 Mendota vs. No. 9 Torres, 1 p.m. Saturday
How Mendota got there: d. Orosi 9-1, d. Lindsay 13-6, d. Fresno Christian 18-5
How Torres got there: d. Caruthers 7-0, d. Roosevelt 9-5 (8 innings), d. Minarets 12-6
Records: Mendota 16-11; Torres 12-17
Coaches: Mendota, Tony Rojas Jr.; Torres, Bryan Rubalcaba
Titles won: Mendota 2 (2022); Torres, none
Prediction: Mendota 12, Torres 9
Baseball schedule
Central Section championships
At Valley Strong Ballpark, Visalia
Wednesday
Division IV
No. 1 Lemoore 3, No. 7 Wasco 1
Thursday
Division III
No. 1 Fowler vs. No. 3 Morro Bay, 6 p.m.
Friday
Division V
No. 2 Shafter vs. No. 4 Corcoran, 4 p.m.
Division II
No. 2 Kingsburg vs. No. 5 Ridgeview, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Division VI
No. 3 Mendota vs. No. 9 Torres, 1 p.m.
Division I
No. 5 St. Joseph vs. No. 6 Centennial, 6 p.m.
Softball
Division I: No. 2 Clovis North vs. No. 5 Buchanan, 7 p.m. Saturday
How Clovis North got here: d. Clovis West 7-0, d. Madera 5-4, d. Stockdale 10-3
How Buchanan got here: d. Centennial 5-0, d. Clovis East 7-2, d. Central East 6-4
Records: Clovis North 21-5-2; Buchanan 23-9
Coaches: Clovis North, Courtney Dale; Buchanan, Dean Gregory
Titles won: Clovis North 2 (2024); Buchanan 5 (2016)
Prediction: Clovis North 8, Buchanan 6
Division II: No. 3 Monache vs. No. 4 Bakersfield Christian, 7 p.m. Friday
How Monache got there: d. Porterville 7-5, d. Kingsburg 3-1, d. Garces 4-3
Records: Monache 17-5-1; Bakersfield Christian 22-9
Coaches: Monache, Briana Bamber; Bakersfield Christian, Jodi Russell
Titles won: Monache 3 (2022); Bakersfield Christian 2 (2024)
Prediction: Bakersfield Christian 7, Monache 4
Division III: No. 5 Liberty-Madera Ranchos vs. No. 7 Pioneer Valley, 7 p.m. Thursday
How Liberty-Madera Ranchos got there: d. Independence 9-4, d. Mission Prep 1-0, d. Wasco 5-3
Records: Liberty-Madera Ranchos 21-8; Pioneer Valley 20-11
Coaches: Liberty-Madera Ranchos, Keith Davis; Pioneer Valley, Kristina Sewell
Titles won: Liberty-Madera Ranchos 5 (2012); Pioneer Valley, none
Prediction: Liberty-Madera Ranchos 3, Pioneer Valley 2
Division IV: No. 1 Woodlake vs. No. 3 Coalinga, 4:30 p.m., Saturday
How Woodlake got there: d. Porterville 6-3, d. Garza 10-0, d. Golden West 8-5
How Coalinga got there: d. Nipomo 11-1, d. Hanford 3-0, d. Sanger West 5-1
Records: Woodlake 27-1; Coalinga 21-7
Coaches: Woodlake, Ramona Lara; Coalinga, Ivana Caposino
Titles won: Woodlake 4 (2024); Coalinga 5 (2017)
Prediction: Woodlake 8, Coalinga 5
Division V: No. 1 Orcutt Academy vs. No. 2 Dos Palos, 4:30 p.m. Friday
How Dos Palos got there: d. Sierra 11-1, d. Chavez 6-1, d. McLane 5-0
Records: Dos Palos 19-8-1; Orcutt Academy 14-11-1
Coaches: Dos Palos, Irene Lelandais; Orcutt Academy, Chris Duncan
Titles won: Dos Palos, none; Orcutt Academy, none
Prediction: Dos Palos 3, Orcutt Academy 1
Division VI: No. 5 Torres vs. No. 10 Roosevelt, 4:30 p.m. Thursday
How Torres got there: d. Granite Hills 11-1, d. Riverdale 17-0, d. Kern Valley 11-1
How Roosevelt got there: d. Minarets 6-4, d. Bishop 15-3, d. Strathmore 8-3
Records: Torres 14-13; Roosevelt 16-12
Coaches: Torres, Aurelia Gamch; Roosevelt, 16-12
Titles won: Torres, none; Roosevelt, none
Prediction: Roosevelt 12, Torres 10
Championship schedule
At Margie Wright Diamond, Fresno State
Thursday
Division VI
No. 5 Torres vs. No. 10 Roosevelt, 4:30 p.m.
Division III
No. 7 Pioneer Valley vs. No. 5 LIberty-Madera Ranchos, 7 p.m.
Friday
Division V
No. 1 Orcutt Academy vs. No. 2 Dos Palos, 4:30 p.m.
Division II
No. 3 Monache vs. No. 4 Bakersfield Christian, 7 p.m.
Saturday
Division IV
No. 1 Woodlake vs. No. 3 Coalinga, 4:30 p.m.
Division I
No. 2 Clovis North vs. No. 5 Buchanan, 7 p.m.
Buchanan volleyball to play for state title
Buchanan doesn’t have to go far to try to win the inaugural state title.
The match takes place at 5 p.m. Friday at Fresno City College. The NorCal’s top-seeded Bears will face SoCal’s top-seed Mater Dei.
The Bears reached the title game after defeating No. 4 Los Gatos in a sweep and No. 3 Del Oro in four sets.
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This story was originally published May 28, 2025 at 5:27 PM.
