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Bulldog softball captures one last CCC title
Turlock wins title for first time since 2000
turlock softball 2
Shelby Frutoz of Turlock High pitched a complete game and earned the victory for her team after they defeated Pitman, 7-1, in the regular season finale to clinch the outright CCC title. - photo by EDDIE RUIZ/ The Journal

The 2018 Turlock High varsity softball team are the Central California Conference champions for one final time in the Bulldogs’ last year competing in the CCC and it couldn’t have gone any better for head coach Jill Ogden and her squad.

The regular season came to a close on Tuesday afternoon from Pitman High as they battled their crosstown rivals for one last time under the CCC banner.

Turlock starting pitcher Shelby Frutoz tossed a complete game and the offense was rolling from the onset as they held off their league foes to a 7-1 score, clinching their third straight win and four of the last five.

“Softball is a game of momentum and they got that early and Shelby is a great pitcher and she shut us down today,” said Pitman head coach Joe Lewis. “I hope for a better outcome for the seniors I had for four years and being the last year in the CCC, but the good thing is that at least a Turlock team won the CCC team and them and Modesto started it, so kind of fitting for the season to end that way.”

“We had it on our expectations to win the league title, we knew we had the team to get it done,” said Ogden. “We are excited about being the last CCC champs as we leave, but this has just been a great group to work with… the seniors, the juniors, sophomores all bought in and its been a joy to work with, just a great group of kids.”

Turlock ends the regular season with an overall record of 15-7 and 10-2 in the CCC. Turlock’s only two league losses were by one run each. Turlock outscored league opponents 82-23.

Pitman finished in fifth place in the CCC with a 5-7 posting and 16-8 overall. They also lost five of their last eight games.

“I think getting the hits in key situations killed us in league and losing those three walk-off games really put us behind,” said Lewis of their close league games.

On Tuesday, Turlock got out to the quick start after scoring twice in the top of the first.

Mackenzie Campbell and Sophie Mayol each had an RBI as the Bulldogs went up 2-0.

Two runs were added in the top of the third after Kylie Coehlo and Faith Hernandez crossed home plate and extended the lead to 4-0.

In the top of the fourth, Maryn Thompson scored the fifth run and Frutoz drove in Jessie Miranda to make it 6-0 on a two-out single.

Faith Erb had an RBI in the top of the sixth inning to score Thompson as they went up 7-0.

Pitman’s Morgan Aguiniga scored the Pride’s lone run in the bottom of the seventh inning after a Rhea Russo RBI single.

A double play ended the game to give Turlock the outright CCC banner.

This CCC title is the first for Turlock High since 2000, when they were co-champs.

Miranda was 2-for-4 and Campbell went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Shelby Frutoz was 3-for-4 from the plate with an RBI.

Frutoz also started and tossed seven innings, allowing one earned run on five hits, no walks and struck out nine.

Erb was 1-for-4 with two RBI while Turlock amassed 10 hits for the game.

“Earlier in the week, we went over the progression of the team since our seniors arrived, and every year we got better, last year we made playoffs and this year we made the big finish by winning the title,” said Ogden.

Pitman and Turlock will compete in the newly created Central California Athletic League next season along with Enochs, Gregori, Modesto and Downey High.

Turlock will next compete in the Division-I Sac-Joaquin Section Tournament with an opponent and time yet to be determined. Visit cifsjs.org for the latest updates on the brackets.

“We would love to host. We think that being CCC champs we should host, but it’s not up to us but we will plan for whoever and train hard,” Ogden added.