The Manteca Buffaloes got a clutch two-run double from senior first baseman Devon Richardson in the top of the seventh to beat the Sierra Timberwolves 7-6 in the Valley Oak League opener at Jack Thomson Field.
“There are no easy games in the VOL, that is for sure,” Manteca head coach Mark Ruiz said. “We grinded today. I don’t think we played our best baseball by any means, but it’s always good to pick up a win in what we know is going to be a tough conference schedule.”
Monday’s series-opening win is the seventh straight to start the season for Manteca (1-0 VOL, 7-0 overall) in a stretch that has seen the Buffaloes score 55 runs. The hot start offensively continued against Sierra (0-1, 4-3), as Manteca racked up 10 hits en route to the victory.
The biggest hit of them all for Manteca came in the top of the seventh trailing 6-5. After a leadoff double from Bode Hiatt (2 for 2, 2 runs), Nate Slikker reached on an infield hit, bringing up Richardson.
“They had been throwing me off speed stuff all game long,” Richardson said. “I told one of our coaches before I got into the on-deck circle that I was going to look curveball. Luckily, I got one up a little bit and let it rip.”
Richardson (2 for 4, 2 RBIs) let it rip into the right-center field gap, scoring Hiatt and Slikker, to give the Buffaloes the lead after they had trailed since the bottom of the fourth.
“That’s what Devon has done for us throughout his career here,” Ruiz said. “I know he’s confident in big at-bats, and as a team we are confident in him when he’s up there in spots like that.”
The Timberwolves were not to be outdone offensively and piled up 10 hits of their own. Sierra opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first, as Jayden Pimental (2 for 4, 3 RBIs) drove in Josh Graves (3 for 4, 2 runs). Pimental and Graves set the tone for what would be a strong offensive game for the Timberwolves.
“I was really happy with how we hit today,” Sierra head coach Travis Thomson said. “We took some really good at-bats and came with some clutch two-out hitting, and anytime you can do that, you’re going to give yourself a chance to win.”
Sierra starting pitcher Cole Martin (5 1/3 innings, 6 hits, 4 earned runs) was able to keep Manteca bats relatively quiet throughout the first two innings. The Buffaloes broke through in the second, however, with four runs highlighted by a long home run to left by Slikker (2 for 4, 2 RBIs, 2 Runs). Manteca would take a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the third.
The lead for the Buffaloes would be short lived. After Manteca starter Matthew Suarez (3 innings pitched, 6 Hits, 4 Runs) retired the first two Timberwolves, Sierra strung together four straight hits, the biggest of which being a two-run double from Pimental to help the hosts tie the game at 4-4 going into the fourth inning.
“Those are the at-bats that are going to help us be successful in this league,” Thomson said. “They get four on us, and we make two quick outs, and before you know it, we’re able to get their guy into some trouble and get ourselves back into the game.”
With the game tied, Martin settled back in, facing the minimum through the fourth and fifth innings to keep the Timberwolves in the game.
Sierra would take the lead again in the bottom of the fourth. After John Thomson beat out an infield hit on a close play at first, Damian Densmore walked. The two advanced on a wild pitch setting up runners in scoring position for the Timberwolves. The next big hit for Thomson’s club came from leadoff hitter Ryan Reyes (1 for 4, 2 RBIs). The senior shortstop lined a single to right to score Thomson and Densmore to put Sierra back on top 6-4.
Manteca forced Martin from the game in the top of the sixth inning after a double from junior right fielder Brennen Vega (2 for 4, 2 RBIs, 1 Runs). Two batters later, senior third baseman Noah Navarro (1 for 3, 1 RBI) lined a double of his own to left to cut the lead to 7-6 Sierra.
Ruiz turned to his standout shortstop to close out the game on the mound. Slikker (2 innings pitched, 0 Runs) would get through the sixth unscathed before retiring the Timberwolves on three straight groundballs in the seventh after the huge go-ahead hit from Richardson, sealing the victory 7-6 for Manteca.
“Its great to have a guy like Nate to go to there in the later innings,” Ruiz said. “We have some arms working through injury and to have him come in and get those scoreless innings for us was obviously big.”
The two teams will resume the three game series on Wednesday at Manteca before returning back to Sierra on Friday for the finale. First pitch for both games is at 3:30 pm.
