Turlock and Pitman baseball squads began Central California Conference play this week, with each facing their respective opponents as they began the quest to finish atop and perhaps capture a league title.

The Turlock Bulldogs are now 2-0 in league to start the season on a positive note after they out-played the Buhach Colony Thunder in back-to-back matchups, beating them 8-1 on Wednesday, followed by a 3-2 victory on Friday afternoon.

Friday's game was decided by the pitchers and defense. Two great defensive plays were made as Nick Benson caught a fly ball in the fifth and threw the runner out on third for a double play and got the ‘Dogs out of a jam to save another run to end the inning. This was followed by a John Temple overhead catch in deep center that saved a potential game-tying run.

“Today was a pitcher dual, the pitching was dominating,” Turlock head coach Mark de la Motte said on Friday. “Great to start out league on top as we took advantage of the last two games and played good defense today.”

Temple and Brian Mendez were the run producers as Mendez tallied two and Temple the other.

Rob Domingos was the starting pitcher, tossing five innings before being relieved by Nick Gonzales who went three-up and three-down to end the game in the seventh as he picked up the win.

“Only two walks in two games allowed by our pitching its pretty good,” De la Motte said.

Turlock will be playing host to  Manteca High on Monday in a nonconference game with a starting time of 3:30 p.m.

It was back-to-back games against the Golden Valley Cougars for the Pitman that began on Wednesday with a 15-2 win that bolstered the confidence of the Pride—maybe too much.

The Pride baseball squad had its fiery 5-0 start to the season come to a halt after losing to Golden Valley 8-5 on Friday afternoon, which them put their CCC record at 1-1 after the first two contests.

A total of six errors were the difference makers in Friday’s league bout against the Cougars after the Pride dismantled the pitching staff with 14 hits on Wednesday, it was the mistakes by Pitman that became their kryptonite.

“We gave up too many free bases today. Walks and errors killed us,” Pitman head coach John Acha said after Friday's game. “Golden Valley's pitcher showed what a true competitor he is. He battled and you have to tip your cap to him.”

Pitman will host Beyer High at noon today.