The 2025-26 Central Section high school sports season is underway.
Coaches, please submit your results/stats after each game or match to sports reporter Vongni Yang at vyang2@gannett.com to have players highlighted in our local roundup (team records are as of April 9).
April 8
Baseball
El Diamante 8, Redwood 6: The Miners (13-4, 4-1) topped the Rangers (10-8, 3-2) to win their eighth consecutive game, and as of April 9, are now tied with Monache (12-5, 4-1) for first place in the East Yosemite League standings.
El Diamante’s Gauge Rivas and D’Angelo Dalle Messe each knocked in two runs in the victory.
Dalle Mese, D.J. Gonzalez, and Aden Robles all blasted a double. Gonzalez and Seth Fults both had an RBI.
Gonzalez led the Miners with three hits in three at-bats.
Also, for El Diamante, Jacob Anderson, Gonzalez, and Fults each scored two runs. Starting pitcher Eli Palomino, a junior, got the win on the mound, throwing three strikeouts in five frames. Dalle Mese picked up the save, allowing just one hit in 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
El Diamante handed Redwood just its third EYL loss in program history. The Rangers are the reigning three-time EYL champions.
Softball
Tulare Union 13, Justin Garza 3: Jaksyn Freitas, a freshman, had a monster performance at the plate, smashing four hits, including a double and a home run, to finish with four RBIs and three runs.
Ava Hernandez, another Tulare Union freshman, got the win in the circle with a four-strikeout, four-inning performance.
The Tribe also received strong performances from Aliyah Cardenas (two runs, single, RBI), Taylor Lewis (run, two RBIs, single, double), Faith Jimenez (two runs, two doubles, RBI), Jiannah Freitas (two singles, RBI), Abigail Haslam (single, RBI), and Hernandez (RBI).
April 7
Softball
Redwood 9, Dinuba 4: The Rangers (12-6) won their seventh straight game, defeating the Emperors (12-4-1) in an all-Tulare County non-league showdown.
Redwood sophomore pitcher Giuliana Gasca picked up the win in the circle, hurling six strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. Jackie Ramirez had four strikeouts in 2 2/3 frames.
Offensively, senior Aubrie Jenkins led the Rangers with a double, a home run, and three RBIs. She also scored two runs.
Also for Redwood, senior Jaden Lopez knocked in two runs on two hits, one of which was a double. Ava Gonzalez, Kenzie Cantu, Ramirez, and Mackenzie King each had an RBI. King and Rodriguez both had a triple.
Dinuba’s Lacy Rios hit a solo home run. Senior pitcher Neveah Garcia fired seven strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.
Hall of Fame
Redwood to induct three: Redwood High School’s 2026 Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet is May 2 with a social hour starting at 5 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m., followed by a ceremony at the Visalia Elks Lodge.
This year’s inductees include:
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: El Diamante baseball, Redwood softball extend win streaks
Reporting by Vongni Yang, Visalia Times-Delta / Visalia Times-Delta
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
