River Islands had a postseason baseball debut to remember on Wednesday, knocking off one of the hottest teams in the Sac-Joaquin Section.
Freshman Cash Orndoff and senior Israel Fuentes combined for a no-hitter, while Daryl Carpenter and Matthew Echivarre drove in three runs apiece in the ninth-seeded Riptide’s 8-1 win at No. 8 Mariposa.
The Southern League champion Bears (19-7) had a 19-game winning streak snapped, and the Riptide (15-7) earned a second-round date with No. 1 Ripon Christian.
Orndoff came through with clutch pitches when needed, as he overcame five walks and two hit batters with eight strikeouts over five innings. Fuentes had two strikeouts and a walk in his two-inning relief appearance.
The offense gave its starting pitcher some breathing room early on with a five-run rally in the second inning. River Islands racked up the rest of its runs in the fifth.
Carpenter finished 2 for 4 with a double. Keoni Cervantez went 3 for 4 with a run. George Dayeh and Chase Salomon each plated two runs.
Reid Allison knocked in Ezekiel Weiland for Mariposa’s lone run in the bottom of the fifth.
River Islands faces Ripon Christian (25-2) in the quarterfinals on Friday. The Knights were idle in the first round.
Division III
Manteca 7, Antelope 0
Jeremy Cross struck out nine in a four-hit shutout for the third-seeded Buffaloes (21-8), and sophomore Bode Hiatt went 2 for 3 with two runs and three RBIs to highlight the attack.
Leading 2-0 after four innings, Manteca broke it open with a three-spot in the fifth. Fourteenth-seeded Antelope (8-17-1) aided the Buffs with two errors, five walks and a wild pitch. Noah Navarro (double, two RBIs), Caleb Ortega (RBI) and Matthew Suarez each contributed two hits. Brennen Vega scored twice.
Sixth-seeded Ponderosa (14-13) visits Manteca on Friday after downing Pacheco, 5-2.
El Capitan 10, Sierra (6)
In Merced, the No. 7 Gauchos (22-7) got the majority of their runs in a six-run third inning and unlocked the mercy rule with one more in the sixth.
Pitcher Benny Centeno limited the 10th-seeded Timberwolves (11-18) to two hits. El Cap visits No. 2 Vista del Lago (19-9) in the quarterfinals.
Division IV
East Union 11, Center 1 (5)
An eight-run onslaught in the second inning put the game out of reach for the 13th-seeded Cougars (10-17-1) from Antelope.
Cage Woodall took it from there in the mercy-shortened five-hitter. The junior fired four strikeouts against just one walk.
The No. 4 Lancers (20-8) needed just seven hits to gain separation. Jackson Fay drove in two runs and scored two, and his lone hit went for a triple. Peyton Heath went 2 for 3 with a double, two runs and an RBI. Aidan Pullen went 2 for 2 with a run and an RBI. Efren Diaz added two RBIs.
Fifth-seeded Bradshaw Christian (23-4) visits Agostini Field on Friday.
Division V
Destiny Christian Academy 8, Ripon 0
Lucas Hughes pitched a two-hit gem for 10th-seeded Destiny Christian (16-12) at Mistlin Park. The freshman faced just three batters over the minimum, striking out six and hitting one.
The Lions of Sacramento snapped a six-game skid. They jumped ahead at the outset, plating three runs in the top of the first inning and three more in the fourth to take a commanding 7-0 lead.
Brayden McDowell and Aiden Davis got the hits for No. 7 Ripon (17-10), which couldn’t overcome four defensive errors and pitching struggles (four walks, three hit batters, three wild pitches).
Destiny Christian travels to No. 2 Woodland (23-4) on Friday.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Livingston 3, River Islands 0
The No. 4-seeded Riptide (20-6) had its historic season halted in the SJS Division IV semifinals, 19025, 20-25, 13-25.
Top-seeded Livingston (37-6) tangles with No. 3 El Dorado (24-9) on Saturday at Consumes River College. The title match begins at noon.
SOFTBALL
Lathrop 4, Beyer 3
The Spartans (9-4 Western Athletic Conference, 14-8-1 overall) overcame five errors, scoring four late runs to secure a season sweep of Beyer (8-6, 11-11) and an automatic postseason berth on senior night. They end their WAC schedule today at Grace Davis.
Kendall Stewart drove in two runs that gave Lathrop the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth inning. Avaihna Calderon (double, run, RBI), Aubree Martinez (double, RBI) and Tianna Gonzalez (run) all went 2 for 3 at the plate. Luz De Luna contributed a double and two runs.
Manteca 11, Gregori 1 (6)
The Buffaloes (16-8) continued their offensive surge in the non-league contest, amassing five runs in the fifth inning and 12 total hits. It’s the third straight game that they’ve scored double-digit runs.
Na’ima Calderon highlighted the power display, going 3 for 3 with a homer, two doubles, three runs and an RBI. Maleiah Garza added a homer and four RBIs.
Lauren Moncada (two doubles, two runs, RBI) and Sienna Owen (double, run, two RBIs) both went 2 for 3.
Starter Riley Ward and sophomore Emily Lopez pitched three innings apiece, combining for a five-hitter.
The Buffaloes are bound for the postseason, and brackets will be released Friday afternoon.
