OAKDALE — Logan Bruce led off the fourth inning with a leadoff home run, and it was off to the races for the Oakdale Mustangs.
The Valley Oak League’s top club quickly turned a tightly-contested battle into a five-inning thrashing, as it padded its first-place cushion with a 12-1 victory over Sierra Wednesday. The Timberwolves (7-2, 13-6 overall) remain in second despite the loss, though they will have to face Oakdale (9-0, 20-2), Northern California’s fifth-ranked team according to NorCalPreps.com, again on Thursday at home.
Sophomore Dylan DeBrouwer proved he wasn’t intimidated through three innings from the mound for Sierra, but Oakdale busted loose with five in the fourth and six more in the fifth to end it early. Sierra aided Oakdale’s fourth-inning rally with a throwing error and three walks.
Nick Vander Tuig, the winning pitcher, was 3 for 4 while crushing a two-run homer in the fifth. Bruce finished 2 for 3.
Sierra was led by Kenny Leasure, who was 2 for 2.
The series moves to Sierra Thursday at 4 p.m.
Sophomore Matt Burrows pushed the Buffaloes ahead 8-7 in the sixth with an RBI single. Ricky Acosta led the way with a 2-for-4 effort, including a triple and an RBI.
“We played real good ball,” Manteca coach Gene Ballardo said. “We only struck out one time and had one error, we just couldn’t close it out.”
Scharnow allowed just two earned and struck out four, but couldn’t get any run production as Central Valley’s Martin Gomez allowed just one Chris Fleckenstein single in the seventh after no-hitting the Cougars through six.
“(Scharnow) did a great job,” Cougars skipper Dave Smith said. “He battled. There were moments when they strung a couple of hits together, but he stayed composed. he showed good presence, and that he can compete at the varsity level.”
The series shifts to south Stockton Thursday.
The Valley Oak League’s top club quickly turned a tightly-contested battle into a five-inning thrashing, as it padded its first-place cushion with a 12-1 victory over Sierra Wednesday. The Timberwolves (7-2, 13-6 overall) remain in second despite the loss, though they will have to face Oakdale (9-0, 20-2), Northern California’s fifth-ranked team according to NorCalPreps.com, again on Thursday at home.
Sophomore Dylan DeBrouwer proved he wasn’t intimidated through three innings from the mound for Sierra, but Oakdale busted loose with five in the fourth and six more in the fifth to end it early. Sierra aided Oakdale’s fourth-inning rally with a throwing error and three walks.
Nick Vander Tuig, the winning pitcher, was 3 for 4 while crushing a two-run homer in the fifth. Bruce finished 2 for 3.
Sierra was led by Kenny Leasure, who was 2 for 2.
The series moves to Sierra Thursday at 4 p.m.
Ceres 9, Manteca 8
In Ceres, the host Bulldogs (4-5, 11-9) capped a back-and-forth, and sometimes sloppy, affair by plating the final run on a passed ball in the bottom of the seventh. Manteca (2-7, 8-12-1), which has lost five straight all by less than five runs, was ahead 8-7 going into the final frame.Sophomore Matt Burrows pushed the Buffaloes ahead 8-7 in the sixth with an RBI single. Ricky Acosta led the way with a 2-for-4 effort, including a triple and an RBI.
“We played real good ball,” Manteca coach Gene Ballardo said. “We only struck out one time and had one error, we just couldn’t close it out.”
Central Valley 4, Weston Ranch 0
In Ceres, freshman Tyler Scharnow was outstanding in the loss.Scharnow allowed just two earned and struck out four, but couldn’t get any run production as Central Valley’s Martin Gomez allowed just one Chris Fleckenstein single in the seventh after no-hitting the Cougars through six.
“(Scharnow) did a great job,” Cougars skipper Dave Smith said. “He battled. There were moments when they strung a couple of hits together, but he stayed composed. he showed good presence, and that he can compete at the varsity level.”
The series shifts to south Stockton Thursday.
— Jonamar Jacinto
