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MANTECA MOVES ON
Major all-stars rally past SPLL, advance to section tournament
Bulletin Little League 2019
Manteca Little League celebrates its 12-8 victory over Spreckels Park in the District 67 All-Star Tournament on Sunday. - photo by DAVE CAMPBELL/The Bulletin

After what had been a close battle throughout, the ball bounced Manteca’s way in the fifth inning Sunday, leading to seven runs and eventually the District 67 10-12 All-Star championship with a thrilling 12-8 win over Spreckels Park at Northgate’s Gillen Field.
“This feels great,” Manteca coach Keith Texeira said. “I’ve been doing this for 30 years and it is truly rewarding.
“Spreckels never quit and we never quit. They wanted it and our team wanted it, but I think we wanted it a little more.”
Trailing 8-5 going into the bottom of the fifth, Isaac Acuna led off the frame for Manteca with a walk and took second on Maddox Melendez’s bloop single. Jace Quitasol walked to load the bases, and Daniel Dolen legged out an infield single that bounced off the pitcher to score Acuna and beginning the rally.
By the time the dust settled, the next three batters — Quinn Martinez, Chris Chavez (two runs) and Eddie Anthony (3 for 3, home run, three RBI, three runs) along with Melendez, Quitasol and Dolin — scored and Acuna shut down Spreckels Park in the top of the sixth with a 1-2-3 inning for the win.   
Until the Manteca fifth, Ricardo Anaya was set up to be the hero for Spreckels Park. With two out in the top of the fifth, Wyatt Bauer (double, two runs, three walks) was intentionally walked to load the bases, bringing Anaya to the plate. Anaya singled in Manny Alvarez and Chris Stackpole to put Spreckels Park ahead 8-5.
Travis Boyd had the big bat for Spreckels Park, going 2 for 4 with a triple and three RBI, tripling in Anaya and Bauer in the first inning for an early 2-0 lead. Cameron Diego (2 for 3, RBI, double) added an RBI double in the second inning. 
In addition to three errors for Spreckels Park in the fifth, the ball took some tough hops on its way through the infield, victimizing Spreckels Park. 
“Three bad hops and a bleeder into right field — that was the difference,” Spreckels Park coach Chris Bauer said. “We only struck out twice and we kept putting the ball in play. We battled to the end.”
Manteca advances to the Section 8 Tournament on Saturday at Christa McAuliffe Middle School in Stockton at 10 a.m.

Spreckels Park 12, Northgate 0 (5)
Bauer threw a complete-game no-hit shutout for Spreckels Park on Saturday in the consolation final, helping punch his team’s ticket to the championship round.
Bauer struck out 10 and led his team at the plate as well, going 2 for 2 with a pair of doubles and three runs. Anaya (double, run) and Jacob Morrow (run) both went 2 for 3. Stackpole doubled and scored three runs and Jackson Fay scored two runs.   
The game was scoreless until the top of the third when Spreckels Park banged out seven runs on six hits.