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ARMS AND HAMMERS
Gross, Ward lift Manteca majors to TOC semifinals
BASE--Little-League-TOC-1
Jacob Moon of the Manteca Brewers tags out Louis Aquila of the Spreckles Park Giants in a 5-0 quarterfinal win for the Brewers on Tuesday in the District 67 Majors Tournament of Champions at Jefferson School. - photo by Dave Campbell

Ryan Ward and Dylan Gross of the Manteca Little League Brewers combined for a one-hit shutout of the Spreckles Park Giants on Tuesday in a 5-0 quarterfinal win in the District 67 Majors Tournament of Champions at Jefferson School.

Ward started on the hill and went 3 1/3 innings, striking out nine including five in a row at one point. Gross went the final 2 2/3, striking out seven and giving up just one hit — a full-count single to Chase Sperbeck in the sixth. Gross struck out the final three batters of the game. Only one Giants base runner got third base, and that was in the first inning.

Ward had the big bat for the Brewers, going 3 for 3 with a double and three RBI. With Jacob Moon and Nico Icardi drawing walks to start the game for Manteca, Ward blasted a double to plate Moon and Icardi and singled home leadoff hitter Moon in the fourth.

Ward singled and Gross had a ground-rule double to lead off the Brewers third when a walk to Ryan Zimmerman loaded the bases. Stellar defense got Ward and Gross at home on the next two batters, only to have a throwing error plate Zimmerman and Pascual Vasquez.

Batting out of the No. 9 hole Pete Martinez, was 2 for 3 for Manteca.

The Brewers play the winner of Tuesday’s contest between Tracy American and Weston Ranch on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and the Giants face Tracy American today at 5:30 p.m. in an elimination contest.