Dos Palos baseball, softball will both play for Valley championships after thrilling wins

Shawn Jansen
·4 min read

With the baseball season on the line, the Dos Palos High School bats delivered two clutch runs in the sixth inning as the Broncos defeated Dinuba 4-3 in a thrilling Central Section Division III semifinal game Tuesday afternoon.

Drake Hennagan hit a home run that tied the game to start the bottom of the sixth inning.

Then Will Montemurro followed with a triple and scored the go-ahead run on Mason Soares’ single for the second-seeded Broncos.

Dos Palos High School head coach Leonard Davis greets junior Drake Hennagan after Hennagan tied the Central Section Division III semifinal game against Dinuba in the sixth inning with a home run.
Dos Palos High School head coach Leonard Davis greets junior Drake Hennagan after Hennagan tied the Central Section Division III semifinal game against Dinuba in the sixth inning with a home run.

Broncos senior Isac Mandujano then retired the Emperors in order in the seventh inning as Dos Palos celebrated its first trip to a Valley championship game since 2007, which is also the last time the Broncos won a section title.

“Emotions were through the roof, but I never had a doubt,” Mandujano said. “We got some big hits in the late innings. My teammates came through for me and I had to do my job on the mound and come through for them.”

The win was the Broncos’ 19th consecutive victory and improved their record to 26-2. Dos Palos will face top-seeded Kingsburg (27-5), which defeated No. 4 Pioneer Valley 1-0 in the other semifinal.

Dos Palos High School pitcher Isac Mandujano reacts after recording a strikeout to get out of a jam in the fourth inning during the Central Section Division III semifinal playoff game against Dinuba on Tuesday, May, 23, 2023 at Dos Palos High School.
Dos Palos High School pitcher Isac Mandujano reacts after recording a strikeout to get out of a jam in the fourth inning during the Central Section Division III semifinal playoff game against Dinuba on Tuesday, May, 23, 2023 at Dos Palos High School.

“Whoever we play — Kingsburg or Pioneer Valley — we have to bring our A game,” said Dos Palos coach Leonard Davis. “Both are very good schools and there’s going to be no room for error.”

There was some nervous moments late for the Broncos after No. 6 Dinuba (16-14) pushed across two runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 3-2 lead. Noah Gonzalez and Keine Prendez led off the frame with back-to-back singles of Mandujano.

Armando Mejia then drove in Gonzalez to tie the game at 2-2 and Prendez raced home on a throwing error by Montemurro, who was throwing the ball back to Mandujano from third base after the sacrifice fly.

Suddenly, the Broncos trailed 3-2 late in the game.

“Our guys all believe in each other,” Davis said. “If one can do it, they believe in the man behind him. We never feel we’re out of a game.”

The lead didn’t last long as Hennagan launched a game-tying home run to start the bottom of the sixth inning.

Dos Palos High School junior Drake Hennagan rounds third base after tying the Central Section Division III semifinal game 3-3 against Dinuba with a home run in the sixth inning.
Dos Palos High School junior Drake Hennagan rounds third base after tying the Central Section Division III semifinal game 3-3 against Dinuba with a home run in the sixth inning.

Hennagan said he knew it was gone when it left his bat but he couldn’t believe it.

“As I watched it go I fell into shock,” Hennagan said. “I knew I was starting a rally and we were going to win the game. As I rounded third base I could see all my teammates getting ready to meet me at home plate.”

Dos Palos High School senior Will Montemurro races to third base after hitting a triple in the sixth inning. Montemurro would score the go-ahead run during the Broncos’ 4-3 victory over Dinuba in the Central Section Division III semifinal game on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at Dos Palos High School.
Dos Palos High School senior Will Montemurro races to third base after hitting a triple in the sixth inning. Montemurro would score the go-ahead run during the Broncos’ 4-3 victory over Dinuba in the Central Section Division III semifinal game on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at Dos Palos High School.

Prendez, who went the distance on the mound for the Emperors, couldn’t catch his breath as Montemurro atoned for the error by lacing a triple into the right-center field gap.

Soares followed with a single up the middle to plate Montemurro with the eventual game-winning run.

Mandujano closed the door on Dinuba in the ninth with a perfect inning and the Broncos were celebrating after ending a 16-year drought of appearing in a Valley Championship.

Dos Palos High School senior Will Montemurro reacts after scoring the go-ahead run in the Broncos’ 4-3 victory over Dinuba in the Central Section Division III semifinal game on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at Dos Palos High School.
Dos Palos High School senior Will Montemurro reacts after scoring the go-ahead run in the Broncos’ 4-3 victory over Dinuba in the Central Section Division III semifinal game on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at Dos Palos High School.

After winning most of their games by 10 runs or more the Broncos have won back-to-back one-run, low-scoring playoff games.

“I love it, we’re battle tested,” Davis said. “We got down but we never got down on each other. It was a great overall baseball game from the top to bottom of our lineup.”

The Broncos can’t wait to travel to Visalia to play for a Valley championship at Valley Strong Ballpark on Thursday. The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

“My gosh, this school is known for winning Valley championships,” Mandujano said. “We haven’t been there for a minute. It’s a big accomplishment to play for one but now we have to go there and win it.”

Softball

Dos Palos 2, Woodlake 1 — The Broncos softball team will also be playing for a Valley championship after upsetting No. 1-seeded Woodlake on Tuesday in the Central Section Division V semfiinals.

Breann Raney turned in another stellar performance in the circle for the No. 12 Broncos, pitching seven innings and limiting the Tigers to three hits and one unearned run. Raney struck out seven and walked three.

Dos Palos scored single runs in the third and fifth innings with Liliana Coronado and Ashlee Maldonado driving in runs.

Coronado went 2 for 4 with a triple and a run scored. Kiley Lish added a single and a run scored for the Broncos (13-8).

Dos Palos will face No. 2 Boron in the Valley championship game at 11 a.m. Saturday at Fresno State. Boron defeated No. 3 Washington Union 3-1 on Tuesday.