Central Section baseball semifinals with recap and next week’s championships
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Roosevelt defeated Torres 3-0 to reach the Central Section Division IV championship game.
- Freshman Adrian Viramontes delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the fifth.
- Roosevelt will play the Division IV championship at 1 p.m. May 30.
Manny Molano couldn’t be prouder of his Roosevelt High baseball team.
First, the Rough Riders captured the North Yosemite League title. Now, they are one win away from a Central Section championship after defeating Torres 3-0 in the Central Section Division IV semifinals on Thursday.
The victory also served as redemption for Roosevelt, who the Toros eliminated in last season’s playoffs.
Not bad for a team with its sights set on a section title from the start.
“These guys put in a lot of work for the last few years,” Molano said. “It’s all paid off.”
Freshman Adrian Viramontes delivered the key hit with a two-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning.
According to section historian Bob Barnett, Roosevelt is seeking its first section championship since 1965, when the Rough Riders defeated Bakersfield 6-2. Roosevelt returned to the title game in 1970 but again fell to Bakersfield.
The Rough Riders will face the winner of Friday’s semifinal between No. 1 Corcoran and No. 5 Orange Cove in the Division IV championship game at 1 p.m. May 30.
Division I
No. 2 Bullard 8, No. 11 Redwood 5: The Knights scored four runs in the first inning and held on for the victory, advancing to the section championship game for the first time since 2012 and for the first time under head coach Tom Donald. Wyatt Rosenthal pitched four strong innings in relief to secure the win.
Division III
No. 9 Central Valley Christian 15, No. 4 Edison 3: The Cavaliers dominated early, building a 6-0 lead after two innings.
No. 7 Garza 2, No. 6 Garces 0: Isaac Perales drove in two runs, while Adam Harden tossed five scoreless innings to lead the Guardians.
Division IV
No. 1 Monache 7, No. 4 Santa Ynez 6: Cooper Baxter, Rolando Quinones and Brandon Correa each recorded an RBI, while Quinones also added a triple.
Division V
No. 2 Minarets 14, No. 3 Chavez 1: Jamie Spurgeon hit a home run and a triple while driving in four runs, and Jaydon VonWagner added three RBIs in the rout.
Baseball
Central Section semifinals
Championship games to be held at Valley Strong Ballpark in Visalia
Division I
No. 4 Liberty-Bakersfield 12, No. 1 St. Joseph 1
No. 2 Bullard 8, No. 11 Redwood 5
May 30
No. 2 Bullard vs. No. 4 Liberty-Bakersfield, 6 p.m.
Division II
No. 1 Bakersfield Christian 3, No. 12 Clovis East 0
No. 3 Arroyo Grande 9, No. 10 Tulare Western 3
May 29
No. 1 Bakersfield Christian vs. No. 3 Arroyo Grande, 7:30 p.m.
Division III
No. 9 Central Valley Christian 15, No. 4 Edison 3
No. 7 Garza 2, No. 6 Garces 0
May 28
No. 7 Garza vs. No. 9 Central Valley Christian, 6 p.m.
Division IV
No. 1 Monache 7, No. 4 Santa Ynez 6
Friday
No. 3 Immanuel at No. 2 Reedley
May 27
No. 1 Monache vs. No. 2 Reedley/No. 3 Immanuel winner, 6 p.m.
Division V
No. 1 Shafter 6, No. 4 Sierra 2
No. 2 Minarets 14, No. 3 Chavez 1
May 29
No. 1 Shafter vs. No. 2 Minarets, 4 p.m.
Division VI
No. 2 Roosevelt 3, No. 6 Torres 0
Friday
No. 5 Orange Cove at No. 1 Corcoran
May 30
No. 2 Roosevelt vs. No. 1 Corcoran/No. 5 Orange Cove winner, 1 p.m.
