STOCKTON — The 2008 Sac-Joaquin Section Division III runner-up East Union Lancers picked up where they left off a season ago, storming out of the gate with a 12-2 win over Stagg Friday afternoon.

Scoring eight in the first inning, the Lancers got a critical, inning-extending RBI single from John Ott, and a two-run double from starting pitcher Steven Weddington.

Wade Morten put the finishing touches on the mercy-shortened win, blasting a three-run homerun in the third to make it 11-1.

Weddington went 2 1/3 innings, allowing one run on two hits and striking out three.

Jordan Clark mopped up the victory, lasting 2 2/3, and allowing one run on one hit with a strikeout.

“We threw well,” EU head coach Dan Triglia said. “We threw a few more walks (five) than we like to see, but we were effective.”

Weddington finished 2 for 3 from the dish, as did Marshall Swift, who had an RBI double of his own.

Morten finished 2 for 4 with four RBIs.

“We did some good things with our bats,” Triglia said. “We had nine hits, and we put the ball in play with authority. Hopefully that continues for us.”

The Lancers (1-0) host Chavez in a rainout makeup today at 1 p.m.

Ricky Acosta picked up starting pitcher Vince Herrera (1 IP, 5 H, 4 R) in the second and lasted 4 1/3, striking out seven and allowing no hits to pick up the win.
“Ricky shut them down completely,” Manteca head coach Gene Ballardo said.

Matt Barber (2 for 3) closed out the save with 1 2/3 of one-hit ball with a pair of strikeouts.

Kiefer Haynes (2 for 2, 2 SB) got on with a two-out bunt in the second and Sam Jorgensen (2  for 2) hit him home with a double.

Haynes (2 SB) again scored in the fifth on a balk, and Kevin Allen scored Ryan Knisely with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

“(Haynes bunt single) was huge,” Ballardo said. “We stress bunting, the small things. It’s been working for us this year. (Haynes has) had a really good last couple of games. He’s been very productive for us.”

Acosta finished 2 for 3 at the plate with an RBI.

Manteca (5-1-1) faces Escalon today at 3 p.m. in the tournament championship.

The Buffaloes downed the Cougars in last season’s Walker Vick title game.

The Cougars had just a pair of hits, including a Chris Fleckenstein double, in the loss.

Antonio Joseph got the start and allowed one earned run over four innings of work.

Once again, Weston Ranch was hampered by fielding miscues, turning in four errors.

Summerville had eight hits and scored three in both the first and sixth.

“We didn’t do a good job of making routine plays,” Weston Ranch head coach Dave Smith said. “We need to clean that up before we start to improve as a team.”

Weston Ranch closes out the Walker Vick Tournament this morning at Manteca High.

In Elk Grove, the Timberwolves got RBIs from Andy Scott and Lukas Owens in the first, but Elk Grove broke open a 3-2 game with two each in the fourth, fifth and sixth.

Jacob Angelo was 2 for 3, and Jordan Louie went 1 for 2.

Scott got the start, and Kenny Leasure took over in the fifth.

Elk Grove took the sophomore contest, 10-6.

In Modesto, it was just one of those days where nothing seemed to go right for the Indians (0-2).

Mike Donaldson got the start at went 3 1/3 innings, allowing nine hits and 10 runs (five earned), while striking out a pair.

Mike Mannix closed out the five-inning, mercy-shortened loss, allowing no runs on one hit.

Francisco Gustin went 1 for 3 at the dish.

“We had five errors,” Ripon head coach Mark Whelan said. “We were rusty, we haven’t had the full squad together, and because of the weather we haven’t had a lot of time on the field.”

Ripon hosts Bret Harte Tuesday.