East Union’s baseball team erupted for seven runs in the second inning on Tuesday and got solid relief pitching from Benny Slaughter and Evan Jeffery in its 10-4 win over Oakdale at Agostini Field.
The Lancers (7-2, 8-2 overall) moved into a first-place tie with Kimball in the Valley Oak League. The Jaguars lost to Central Catholic, 10-2.
Timely hitting and plate discipline were key to East Union’s latest triumph. The Lancers batted around the order in the game-breaking second inning, taking advantage of five walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch. Mateo Guevara drew a leadoff walk and later hit an RBI single. Carlos Alvarez followed with the rally-capping two-run double.
All in all, the Lancers were able to get production from every spot in the lineup after they were held to no hits in their 2-0 win over Manteca last Thursday.
“Since last week after the Manteca our focus has been about being patient and attacking our zone and not to chase anything,” East Union coach Carlos Herrera said. “You can tell they (Oakdale pitchers) were getting frustrated because we weren’t chasing anything like we were in previous games. It’s nice as a coach to put a plan out there for the kids and they execute it.”
Willie Segura went 2 for 3 and was the only Lancer to get multiple hits. He scored and drove in a run during the second inning. Austin Orr contributed two RBIs, and Slaughter scored twice. East Union totaled seven hits.
Segura, still slowed by a sore wrist, pitched the first three innings and struck out six. He walked four and gave up three runs in the third, all unearned.
Oakdale (6-3, 6-4) couldn’t get much going from there with Slaughter (three hits, earned run, strikeout) and Jeffery (no hits, two strikeouts) taking over in relief. First baseman Jacob Toste helped limit the damage, ending a bases-loaded threat with a diving grab down the base line.
Ripon Christian 5, Sierra 2 (8)
The surging Knights (5-4 VOL, 6-4 overall) are winners of six of their last seven after their stunning comeback win at Sierra (5-4, 5-4).
Three outs away from getting shut out, Ripon Christian plated two in the top of the seventh to force an extra inning and rallied for three more in the eighth.
Joseph DeBruyn (double, run, two RBIs) and Caleb Terpsma (two runs, RBI) both hit 2 for 4 for the Knights. Freshman Grant Sonke added a sacrifice fly. Terpsma was also the winning pitcher after facing five batters in the eighth. Gilbert fired six strikeouts and gave up four hits and four walks in his steady seven-inning start.
Santi Duarte accounted for three of Sierra’s hits and pitched six innings, striking out three. Austin Frisk drove in both of the Timberwolves’ runs in the third.
Lathrop 12, Grace Davis 2 (5)
Jasper Tover helped Lathrop get on track in the opener of its Western Athletic Conference doubleheader, striking out nine. The host Spartans plated five runs in the fifth.
Eddie Reynoso highlighted the attack with a two-run triple. AJ Duenez went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Noah Martinez scored twice and stole three bases. Jeremy Julien added an RBI hit.
Lathrop 9, Grace Davis 8
Tover shined once again in Game 2, this time at the plate. He walked it off with a two-run double, finishing 3 for 4.
Lathrop totaled 12 digs with Jeremiah Estante and Omare Cross also doing much of the damage. Relief pitcher Martinez notched the win. Roman Giordano pitched the first seven innings and struck out seven.
BOYS GOLF
Ripon 231, Sierra DQ
Ripon’s Jeremie Little was low medalist with a 7-over 43 at Manteca Park Golf Course.
His teammates were close behind, with Kenny Johnson carding a 44 and Jacob Baird and Gage Anderson each turning in a 45. Evan McKeon added a 54.
Leading Sierra was Zach Van Zwaluwenburg with a 47. Konnor Spears had a 51, James Musquiz a 61 and Jimmy Thai a 69.
Escalon 173, Manteca 233
Reese George led the Buffaloes with a 10-over 41 at Escalon Golf Course. His round was highlighted by a birdie on the par-four fourth hole. Connor DePrater and Zenon Garay followed with a 42 and 43, respectively.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Lathrop 3, Sierra 0
The Spartans (3-1) dominated 25-17, 25-18, 25-12 en route to their fourth straight win.
Rael Carmesis anchored the attack with 26 assists. He also recorded two aces and a block. Christian Green hammered 12 kills, Jerico Santillan tallied six aces and four kills, Arman John blasted 10 kills and two aces and Christopher Millan chipped in with three kills.
BOYS BASKETBALL
East Union 64, Riverbank 45
The Lancers started their season on the road with a non-league victory. It’s also their first game under new head coach Charles Legan.
They jumped out to a 25-11 lead and continued to build on it from there. Sophomore Dylan Lee fired a game-high 21 points. Bryan Howe pumped in 15, and Luke Weaver had nine.
BOYS SOCCER
East Union 6, Sierra 0
Lancers defender Jagmeet Gill opened scoring with a stunner in the third minute, taking a shot from 60 yards out with the Sierra goalkeeper well off his line. The ball bounced high off the turf at Daniel Teicheira Memorial Stadium and over the goalie.
It was all East Union (3-0 VOL, 5-0 overall) from there. Cristian Perez assisted goals to Ivan Chavez and Giovanni Perez later in the first half. Cristian Perez added a goal of his own in the 62nd minute after stealing it from a defender.
Giovanni Perez, a freshman, finished with two goals and an assist. Chris Avila scored once.
Weston Ranch 5, Kimball 0
Angel Zapata struck with two first-half goals, burying a penalty kick in the 39th minute to lift the host Cougars to a 3-0 halftime lead.
Zapata later assisted Aaron Silva, who also had two goals. Bernardino Ramirez capped scoring in the 79th minute, getting the feed from Sergio Rayo.
Chris Lopez (three saves) and Marcos Arriaza (two saves) each played a half in goal and combined for the shutout.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Lathrop 3, Mountain House 2
The host Spartans held on for the 25-18, 25-23, 17-25, 14-25, 15-10 victory to remain undefeated in the Western Athletic Conference at 3-0.
LaNicia Ellis helped secure the win with a block for match point. She finished with four kills. Ke’mya Barnett tallied eight kills and an ace. Isabella Gomez served four aces. Lylliana Avila collected three aces and nine digs. Camila De La Garza accumulated 17 assists, four digs and an ace.
JV girls volleyball
Lathrop 2, Mountain House 0
Janessa Ward (two kills) and Alejandra Vazquez racked up six aces apiece as Lathrop rolled to a 25-10, 25-12 sweep. Irais Elias Martinez added five aces, and the Spartans amassed 25 as a team.
JV boys basketball
East Union 60, Riverbank 39
Adrian Pelles was one of four Lancers in double figures with 15 points.
Ian Rodriguez chimed in with 13, Ray Carson had 12 and Seth Baker 10.
