STOCKTON — There were few highlights for the South team in the 28th Annual High School All-Star Classic held Friday at Delta College’s Nick Cecchetti Field, but most of them were made by recent graduates of Manteca Unified schools.
Former Weston Ranch standout Rylan Tinsley knocked in the lone run for his team and was named the MVP for the South squad. Payton Rios of Bear Creek was selected MVP for the North, which rolled to a 7-1 win.
“It was really fun meeting new people and playing with people you used to play against in league,” Tinsley said. “It was just a great experience overall. I’m glad that I was a part of it.”
The Valley Oak League’s reigning MVP will compete for Stanislaus State as a two-way player. He got to pitch the sixth inning and did well to limit the North to two runs after walking the first two batters and allowing an unearned run on an infield error.
Tinsley lifted the South to an early lead in the bottom of the first, ripping a single past the diving second baseman to plate East Union’s Daniel Marquez. Tinsley was hit by a pitch on his second plate appearance.
“It was the first pitch, and I was just trying to hit it hard and get on base,” Tinsley said. “I was able to do that. It went through the hole and looked good.”
Marquez also left his mark in the contest, finishing 2 for 2 at the plate while fielding four routine grounders for outs at shortstop.
“It was one of the most fun I’ve ever had playing baseball,” the Modesto Junior College-bound Marquez said. “I knew I was going to have a short amount of time (to play), so I just wanted to make sure I had everything going for me. I wanted to be ready and show everybody what I could do. I didn’t want to have any regrets so I just zoned in.”
Two of his assists were behind Sierra pitcher Jacob Peterson, who pitched a clean seventh inning that included a strikeout. He also had a hand in the game’s first defensive gem after Rios tagged a shot down the third-base line to leadoff the first. Rios tried to stretch the hit to a double, but Peterson was able to quickly fire the relay throw to Tracy shortstop Carlos Vasquez, who then slung it Chavez second baseman TK Kheandeng.
The North jumped ahead for good with a four-run rally in the top of the fourth, taking advantage of two errors that led to three runs. St. Mary’s Dillon Tatum drove one in with a two-out, bases-loaded single. Tokay’s Diego Ramirez slugged an RBI double in the fifth to extend the North’s lead. It was the only multi-base hit of the contest.
Lathrop’s Shawn Cummings contributed a hit and pitched a scoreless third inning, striking out one. Mason James of East Union led off the eighth with an infield single but was left stranded at third.
Manteca’s Kyle Rachels and Gino Campiotti each saw time at third base. East Union’s Brayden Hardcastle (hit by pitch), Sierra’s Chase Sperbeck and Weston Ranch’s James Peavey round out local all-stars.
Campiotti, who leaves for Northern Arizona in two weeks, was glad to don Manteca green for the final time. The three-sport standout will play quarterback for the Lumberjacks.
“I’ve been really stressed about leaving my friends and family and it was good to get my mind off it and play in a high school event one last time,” he said. “It was a cool thing to be a part of. I recommend anybody who gets invited to go.”
“I came in not really knowing how it was going to be like, but I met a lot of new friends that I didn’t expect to be friends with.”
He isn’t ruling out a return to the diamond in the future.
 “Maybe slow-pitch softball when I’m old,” he said. “I can’t wait for that. Sounds like fun.”