SACRAMENTO – Clutch performances helped Manteca defeat Vista del Lago-Folsom 9-7 Saturday in the first game of a Sac-Joaquin Section Division III semifinal series at McAuliffe Memorial Ballparks.
Coming in to relieve Jake Menasco with two outs in the seventh, a run got across on Devin Sullivan and he found himself with an Eagles runner on third and the tying run at the plate. Sullivan fell behind in the count 3-0 before coming back for the strikeout to end the game.
Having two outs when up to bat did not scare the Buffaloes. Kyle Rachels (3 for 4) and Ronaldo Tijero each had a two-RBI hit with two outs. Mitch Balmut was 3 for 4 with a double, an RBI and three runs.
Defense came up big for Manteca (21-7). Balmut helped shut down a three-run rally for Vista del Lago (23-4-1) with a diving two-out catch in the right-center gap. 
Shortstop Alex Gouveia made a highlight-reel throw from deep in the hole off of a backhand stab to nail the batter at first.
“That was the most talented team we have played all year,” Manteca coach Neil MacDannald said. “It took a talented effort to get it done. I couldn’t be more proud of the way they played for seven innings.”
The two teams play again at McAuliffe on Wednesday at 4 p.m. A Buffaloes win ends the series and an Eagles win sets up a to-follow winner-take-all contest.

Division VI
Ripon Christian 9, Woodland Christian 5
STOCKTON – Travis Vander Molen got pitched to just once on Saturday, and he made the Cardinals (17-9) pay with a three-run home run at Stagg High School.
William Hoekstra had two RBI for the Knights (22-5) and Travis Zuidervaart and Michael Cummins (double) each added an RBI.
A Ripon Christian win at 4 p.m. on Wednesday at Stagg sends the Knights to the finals on Memorial Day. A Woodland Christian win sets up a winner-take-all game to follow.
 
Division V
Linden 11, Ripon 4
STOCKTON – The Lions (21-7) jumped out to an early lead Friday and added a five-run fifth on the way to an opening win in the best-of-three semifinal series at Billy Hebert Field.
“We had a couple of errors and they took advantage of them and had some timely hitting to start,” Indians coach Jon Manrique said. “That fifth inning was a little rough – we had two outs on them and we were hanging in there when they got five runs.”
Nick price tripled for Ripon (23-4) and Angelo Baciocco had an RBI single. Jack Mayer reached base three times, going 2 for 4.
The Indians need to defeat Linden on Tuesday at Billy Hebert at 4 p.m. to force a winner-take-all game to follow.