STOCKTON – After Matt Barber did his part with a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt in the top of the ninth with runners on first and second with no outs, the South botched a routine out at the plate leading to a pair of North runs in their 6-5 come-from-behind victory over the South Friday at Klein Family Field on the University of the Pacific campus.
The North walked away victors of the 20th Annual High School Baseball All-Star Classic, condensing the majority of the action into the first and final frames. The South jumped ahead with a three-run first inning, pushing the North into the catch-up role after only one at bat.
The North would respond with a run in the top of the second, when Ripon Christian graduate Clayton Prins came around to score after advancing to third base and eventually scoring on a fielder’s choice after reaching on a walk.
Prins, the Trans Valley League’s Co-Offensive Player of the Year, also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in his final at bat.
Valley Oak League Most Valuable Player Matt Barber tallied the North’s second base-hit of the game, when he lined a pitch off the pitcher. Barber would get down the huge sac-bunt in the ninth, solidifying his contributions in the win.
“It was a lot of fun, but I can tell you that we definitely wanted to win,” Barber said. “It’s not like any of us want to come out and play a game to lose. I had a blast; I met a lot of new friends and got an opportunity to play against and with some really good ball players.”
Barber also worked a scoreless inning of relief for the North.
Prins was solid in his one inning of work on the mound, striking out two and not surrendering a run in his moment on the mound.
“It was a real good time out here,” Prins said. “We just came out here and played. The coaches just let us go and pretty much do whatever we wanted and things worked out for us.
“I had a good time; no complaints.”
The lone area player on the South’s squad was Sierra High graduate Kenny Leasure. Leasure played shortstop for the South and also got in some work on the mound, striking out two in a perfect one-two-three inning in relief.
Leasure was 0 for 2 at the plate, but did reach base on an error.
The North walked away victors of the 20th Annual High School Baseball All-Star Classic, condensing the majority of the action into the first and final frames. The South jumped ahead with a three-run first inning, pushing the North into the catch-up role after only one at bat.
The North would respond with a run in the top of the second, when Ripon Christian graduate Clayton Prins came around to score after advancing to third base and eventually scoring on a fielder’s choice after reaching on a walk.
Prins, the Trans Valley League’s Co-Offensive Player of the Year, also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in his final at bat.
Valley Oak League Most Valuable Player Matt Barber tallied the North’s second base-hit of the game, when he lined a pitch off the pitcher. Barber would get down the huge sac-bunt in the ninth, solidifying his contributions in the win.
“It was a lot of fun, but I can tell you that we definitely wanted to win,” Barber said. “It’s not like any of us want to come out and play a game to lose. I had a blast; I met a lot of new friends and got an opportunity to play against and with some really good ball players.”
Barber also worked a scoreless inning of relief for the North.
Prins was solid in his one inning of work on the mound, striking out two and not surrendering a run in his moment on the mound.
“It was a real good time out here,” Prins said. “We just came out here and played. The coaches just let us go and pretty much do whatever we wanted and things worked out for us.
“I had a good time; no complaints.”
The lone area player on the South’s squad was Sierra High graduate Kenny Leasure. Leasure played shortstop for the South and also got in some work on the mound, striking out two in a perfect one-two-three inning in relief.
Leasure was 0 for 2 at the plate, but did reach base on an error.
