IONE – Following a 17-0 shellacking from Turlock American to start the Section 6 12U All-Star Tournament on Saturday, Manteca was facing elimination against Westside of Sonora on Sunday and responded with an 11-10 win to stay alive in the Tournament at Howard Park.

Manteca used a pair of five-run innings in the third and fourth innings to secure the win. Nicholas Garcia led the Manteca attack, going 4 for 5 with a double and three runs. Fabian Nuno (2 for 3, double, two runs), Mateo Ceja (2 for 5, triple), Madden Melendez (2 for 4, three RBI, two runs) and Kai Masudi (three RBI, double, two runs) rounded out the Manteca attack.

Melendez scored both his runs when he drew throws to third base and outfoxed the Westside defense twice to score.

Samuel Wilk scored three times for Westside. Owen Herrera added an RBI, a double and a run and Alec Erhardt doubled and scored a run.

Manteca stayed alive in the tournament Monday when a six-run fifth was instrumental in a 9-7 come-from-behind win over Hoover-Tyler for the consolation championship.

In that magical fifth inning, consecutive singles by Ceja (two runs), Brixton Ortiz (3 for 3, RBI, a double, triple and three runs), Fabian Nuno, and Nicholas Garcia and back-to-back walks to Melendez (two RBI) and Jeremy Cross brought Felix Rodriguez to the plate with three across and the bases loaded.

Rodriguez did not disappoint, clearing the bases with a double to put Manteca ahead for good at 9-7.

Manteca used a pitching-by-committee approach. Cage Woodall pitched the first 1.2 innings, yielding two runs and three hits with a walk and two strikeouts. Brody Carabello then toed the rubber for the next four innings, giving up five runs – two earned – with five strikeouts and no walks. Jeremy Cross came in to get the game’s last out, hurling a three-pitch strikeout.

Manteca takes on Turlock American today at 5:30 p.m. in the championship round and must defeat Turlock to force a winner-take all contest Wednesday.