The Manteca baseball team wrapped up non-conference play Friday with an 18-2 victory over Ripon in a mercy-rule shortened, five-inning game at Mistlin Park.
“It was good for our guys to break out offensively,” Manteca coach Mark Ruiz said. “I thought we took really good approaches at the plate and were able to square the ball up, which I was really happy to see.”
The Buffaloes (6-1) squared the ball up to the tune of 15 hits while taking 11 combined walks and hit by pitches.
Ripon (2-4) drew first blood with a Landon Kackley RBI single in the top of the first, and scratched out a second run without recording a hit to even the score at 2-2 through the first two frames.
“This has kind of been the story for us so far this season,” Indians coach Matt Gilmer said. “We have a young group of guys playing their first year at the varsity level, and I think it’s just a matter of getting them to extend those competitive moments we saw early later into the game.”
The disciplined approaches taken by Buffaloes hitters helped them break through against Ripon starting pitcher Joseph Molthen in the top of the third. The first four Buffaloes to come to the plate in the inning reached base and scored, with the key hit in the inning coming in the form of a two run double from DH Edward Anthony. The Buffaloes would go on to score five runs in the inning, chasing out Molthen.
“It took us one time through the lineup to get going,” Ruiz said. “From that second time through, I think we really started working on our approaches the way we’ve been practicing them since the season started, and the bats came alive.”
The bats stayed hot for Manteca, as it followed up the five-run outburst in the third inning with three runs in the fourth and eight runs in the fifth. Nine Buffaloes recorded hits in the game, led by Garcia, who had two to go along with his two RBI. Sophomore shortstop Nate Slikker reached base five times, going 2 for 3 with two RBI and four runs scored. Junior Cameron Jimenez, who started the game on the mound for Manteca, had two hits to help his own cause, driving in three runs.
For Ripon, Friday’s loss is a part of the process in getting better prepared for Trans Valley League play.
“We scheduled our non-league against Division I and II teams on purpose,” Gilmer said. “The TVL is loaded, and we put ourselves in this situation to learn from it. Obviously, we want to see better results, but there is learning to take from games like today.”
Friday’s contest was the last preseason game for the Buffaloes, who open Valley Oak League play Monday at Patterson.
“All in all, the non-conference portion of our schedule went well,” Ruiz said. “We got to see a lot of guys in a lot of different positions and ran out nine or 10 pitchers, which will really help us in league.”
Ripon will continue non-conference play on Tuesday when it hosts Kimball of Tracy.
