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Postseason postponed
Spring showers force changes to SJS schedule
Bulletin baseball 2019
Alex Gouveia follows through on one of his three base hits for Manteca during the Buffaloes’ first-round playoff game against visiting Beyer on Tuesday. - photo by Photo by WAYNE THALLANDER

Recent rainstorms have led to a loaded postseason schedule today in the Sac-Joaquin Section.
Ripon Christian’s Division VI second-round softball contest has been called off twice, while Manteca and Sierra’s baseball clubs had their Division III playoff games postponed Thursday.
All three are making up those games today, while Ripon Christian’s baseball showdown with Southern Athletic League rival Waterford will go on as scheduled at Stagg High of Stockton.
The Ripon Christian softball team (21-3) is seeded second in Division VI after claiming the last two Division VII banners. The Knights face No. 3 Millennium (14-6-1), the Division VI runner-up last year, at 5 p.m. at Arnaiz Softball Complex in Stockton, and both teams are playing again at around 7:15 no matter the result.
Top-seeded Woodland Christian (20-3-1) and No. 5 Argonaut (12-8) are on the other side of the bracket, and the winners of both games square off in the winners-bracket semifinal. The Division VI final has been moved from Saturday to next Tuesday, May 21 at 5 p.m. The weather may continue to wreak havoc to the SJS schedule with rain and thunder in the forecast early next week.
Division IV No. 1 seed Ripon (21-2) was originally set to play its second postseason tilt today at Arnaiz but still doesn’t have an opponent. That’s because No. 4 Marysville and No. 5 Liberty Ranch (15-4) have had to postpone their game twice because of the inclement weather. They’ll play today, with the winner taking on Ripon next Monday — weather permitting — starting at 3 p.m. The last two days of the Division IV playoffs were pushed to next Wednesday and Friday, May 24.
The Division III baseball bracket has also been affected on later dates. It shifts to a double-elimination format following today’s second-round contests, and the remainder of the games will take place at the University of the Pacific’s Klein Field.
Quarterfinal games are now taking place next Monday, instead of Saturday, while the winners-bracket semifinal and consolation quarterfinal will be played on Wednesday. The consolation semifinal and final round remain next Thursday and Monday, May 27.
Valley Oak League champion and No. 2-seeded Sierra (21-3-1) welcomes upstart No. 10 seed Ponderosa (14-15), which upset perennial power Christian Brothers, 2-0.
Sierra could have a third battle with intra-city rival Manteca (16-10) if the No. 6 Buffaloes can get past No. 3 Atwater (24-4) on the road. The two teams previously met in the season opener for both teams on Feb. 22, with Manteca prevailing 4-3 at home. The winners clash next Monday night at 7.
Ripon Christian’s reigning Division VI champion baseball team (18-6) has been able to avoid scheduling changes, thus far. No. 5 Waterford (14-11) will look to send the top-seeded Knights to the consolation bracket of this eight-team bracket. They split their two games in league, though Ripon Christian went on to claim a share of the title with No. 2 Mariposa (22-2).
Also today is Day 1 of the SJS Masters Track & Field Championships held at Davis Sr. High. The section did make changes to the final-day schedule on Saturday with rain in the forecast for the afternoon and evening. Field events are now at 1 p.m. with track events beginning at 1:50.