Central Catholic of Modesto booted the ball around early and often Friday, committing six errors against a Sierra team that is heading in the right direction. The host Timberwolves came away with an 11-0 five-inning mercy rule win in Valley Oak League baseball action.
“We’re getting better,” Sierra coach Jack Thomson said. “We are a much better team right now in April then we were in February. We have a ways to go but we are getting better.
“They handed us some runs today, but we got a great pitching performance from J.P. (Jacob Peterson).” 
Peterson scattered seven hits over the five innings, walking none and striking out just two. The Raiders (2-2 VOL, 8-8 overall) loaded the bases in the fourth and got two runners on in the fifth, but came away empty both times.
“I had pretty good location with my fast ball today,” Peterson said. “I was keeping it down.
“They would put the ball in play and the defense was making good plays behind me.”
The Timberwolves (3-1, 8-4) put up six runs in the first inning on just three hits, one of them being an RBI double by Scott Teicheira (2 for 3, double, two RBI). As in the first inning, Central Catholic committed three errors in the third inning that saw four runs by Sierra on just one hit, an RBI single by Teicheira.
“I have adjusted,” Teicheira said. “A few games back I was getting long to the ball and it wasn’t working.
“The coaches talked to me and told me to stay short to the ball and get my timing down. I listened to them and it has been working.”
Steven Rios had five putouts from second base for Sierra, going 2 for 3 with a double and a run. After doubling in the fourth inning, Rios came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Nick Oseguera, one of the few earned runs of the game for the Timberwolves.
“I wasn’t trying to do too much at the plate,” Rios said. “I just attacked anything in my zone.
“Defensively, I just kept everything in front of me.”
Sierra swept the Raiders and at 3-1 is a game behind first place Manteca (4-0). The Timberwolves host the Buffaloes on Wednesday and travel to Manteca on Friday.