No. 2 Sierra used a monstrous first inning to advance out of the elimination round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III baseball playoffs Thursday, defeating El Camino 12-2 in five innings at McAuliffe Memorial Ballpark in Sacramento.

The Timberwolves will begin a best-of-three series Saturday at 3 p.m. against 11th-seeded Yuba City at McAuliffe Ballpark. The Honkers upset No. 3 Christian Brothers 7-6 on Thursday.

Sierra (19-5-1) had three consecutive two-out hits in the first inning to put up five runs, negating the one run that the Sacramento-based Eagles (15-11) got in the top of the frame. Tanner Peterson and Hunter Johnson each knocked in two runs and Steven Rios batted in one.

The Timberwolves pounded out nine hits with Rios going 3 for 3, Jakob Gallagher going 2 for 2 and Johnson pounding out a double. Gallagher went the distance on the hill, sprinkling three hits over the five innings while striking out five and walking three. The big bats of Sierra forced El Camino to go through three pitchers.

Yuba City finished tied for third in the Tri-County Conference with River City-West Sacramento at 11-7, and has an overall record of 16-12. The Honkers finished a game behind River Valley-Yuba City (12-6 TCC, 16-12) and River Valley knocked defending SJS champion Manteca out of the playoffs Monday with a 3-2 10-inning win.