The future looks bright for Lathrop High’s baseball team, which took just three years to be competitive in the talent-rich Valley Oak League.

The Spartans, who had an outside chance of reaching the playoffs for the first time coming into the week, capped the season with a 13-5 loss at Oakdale Wednesday.

They battled back from an early four-run deficit and had it tied at 4-4 going into the bottom of the fifth. Trailing 6-5 in the sixth, coach Randy Baltazar went with an all-senior lineup to give them a chance to go out with an upset of the first-place Mustangs (14-0, 23-4 overall).

Oakdale took advantage, needing just two hits to plate its final seven runs in the bottom of the sixth. Lathrop committed three errors in the inning.

“It didn’t work out as planned, but I’ve never been more proud than I am with this bunch of kids,” Baltazar said. “Hopefully next year we can take it even further.”

Promising junior pitcher Austin Plunk did well to keep Lathrop (6-8, 12-11) in the ballgame after working through some early trouble in his four innings of work. Fellow junior Mikey Pereznegron was charged with the loss, but the tandem, along with Preston Rizo, will give the Spartans a strong veteran cast of pitchers next season.

“Austin did another outstanding job of working the counts and giving us the opportunity to be in the ballgame,” Baltazar said. “Oakdale can hit, and it shows why they are the reigning VOL and (Sac-Joaquin) section champs.”

Gabe Castellanos led the Spartans with two hits and two RBIs. Marcus Mertilien and Pereznegron each rapped a hit, drove in a run and plated another.

Kody Simmons went 3 for 3 with a home run and four RBIs for Oakdale. Erickson Dickens smashed a two-run jack, Andy Morris legged out a three-run triple and Mark Ortiz scored three times while going 3 for 4.

Sophomore

East Union 3, Kimball 0

Lucas Garcia, Joe Menzel and Will Davis each drove in a run in the first inning for East Union (12-4, 16-9).

That was more than enough support for Garcia, who threw a complete-game no-hitter and was a walk shy of a perfect game.