RIPON — Call it a friendly rivalry.
The Ripon High softball team battled visiting Manteca High in a wild one on Wednesday, winning the non-league contest, 12-9.
"No lead was safe," said Indians coach Robert Vernon. "Especially how this field plays when the winds are going."
He and Buffaloes coach Josh Farris were aware that good number of players on both teams also play travel ball together.
"They were looking forward to this game," said Vernon.
His team jumped out to a 5-0 lead on the strength of Lilly Mejia's two-run homer over the left center field fence — this was one of three round trippers hit by the Indians. Prior to that, Makenna Daly had a one-out single to right.
Mackenzie Hutchison plated two more runs with a single to center, scoring on Caitlyn Campbell's triple down the right field line.
Manteca (3-1) came back with a pair of two-out rallies.
Mohrgen Kissee singled in the third, scoring on Kaileah Johannsen's RBI single.
In the fourth, the Buffaloes went ahead briefly on Kaylee MacDannald's three-run homer to center. Kissee also had a two-run during the five-run rally.
Down 6-5, Ripon (5-0) tied the game on Daley's solo blast in home half of the fourth.
The Indians tacked on five more runs in the fifth. Daley, who went 3 for 3 — Mejia also went 3 for 3 —had a two-run double. Hutchinson also doubled while Myra Toledo and Sydney Thomason both had RBI singles.
The Buffaloes, behind 11-6, got three of those runs back in the sixth. Johanssen delivered on a two-run double to left and Kalissa Martin added an RBI single.
Hutchinson went yard for Ripon in the sixth to provide some insurance.
"We're always having to battle back," Farris said. "That seems to be our theme for us so far this year."
He was proud of the way his team fought back.
"Ripon is phenomenal," Farris said. "We competed against a very good team."

Ripon Christian 3, Chavez 0
In Stockton, Madison DeGraaf pitched a one-hit shutout, walked one and fired 11 strikeouts as the Knights improved to 4-0. She was also 3 for 4 at the plate
Morgan Van Elderen drove in two of the team’s runs.

Junior varsity
East Union 6, Escalon 2
Emma Silva fired 12 strikeouts in a complete-game gem at Northgate Softball Complex. Offensively, she roped two hits, including a double, while driving in two runs.
Marissa Carranza nearly cleared the fence for her fifth homer of the season but settled for a standup triple. Danielle James went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs. The Lancers had just one error.