STOCKTON — Dakota Connors threw a five-inning, mercy-shortened no-hitter to key the Northgate Yankees’ 10-0 victory over the Manteca Bisons in a Little League District 67 Tournament of Champions contest at Paul E. Weston Park Thursday.
The Yankees await the winner of Thursday’s Lathrop Rangers-Salida Rockies matchup in the junior-division semifinals Saturday at 5 p.m. The Northgate Reds will meet the Tracy Reds in the other winners-bracket semifinal at 2.
Connors outshined Bison ace Buddy Reeder in what started out as a pitchers’ duel through three innings. Both hurlers had a no-no brewing during that stretch.
But Reeder walked three and was victimized by five errors in the fourth when the Yankees scratched across three runs before Lucas Garcia recorded the game’s first hit.
Connors finished with six strikeouts and was three base runners (walk, hit batsman, error) away from a perfect game. The Bisons never got the ball to the outfield grass, as Connors got seven out with grounders and two others with infield popups.
Manteca’s best shot at scoring was in the fourth inning, when Hunter Peterson reached on an error and advanced to second on wild pitch with one out. Connors got out of the jam with consecutive strikeouts.
Connors also highlighted the Yankees’ two-out rally in the fifth inning with a bases-clearing double to make it 6-0. Manteca center fielder Doug Mahan made a good effort at robbing Connors of the hit
John Huizar drove in Connors with a single to right field to keep the barrage going, and Kyle Adriaens later knocked him in. Adriaens plated the 10th run after getting caught on a rundown.
Northgate needed just four hits, as it took advantage of nine walks and seven errors.
The Yankees await the winner of Thursday’s Lathrop Rangers-Salida Rockies matchup in the junior-division semifinals Saturday at 5 p.m. The Northgate Reds will meet the Tracy Reds in the other winners-bracket semifinal at 2.
Connors outshined Bison ace Buddy Reeder in what started out as a pitchers’ duel through three innings. Both hurlers had a no-no brewing during that stretch.
But Reeder walked three and was victimized by five errors in the fourth when the Yankees scratched across three runs before Lucas Garcia recorded the game’s first hit.
Connors finished with six strikeouts and was three base runners (walk, hit batsman, error) away from a perfect game. The Bisons never got the ball to the outfield grass, as Connors got seven out with grounders and two others with infield popups.
Manteca’s best shot at scoring was in the fourth inning, when Hunter Peterson reached on an error and advanced to second on wild pitch with one out. Connors got out of the jam with consecutive strikeouts.
Connors also highlighted the Yankees’ two-out rally in the fifth inning with a bases-clearing double to make it 6-0. Manteca center fielder Doug Mahan made a good effort at robbing Connors of the hit
John Huizar drove in Connors with a single to right field to keep the barrage going, and Kyle Adriaens later knocked him in. Adriaens plated the 10th run after getting caught on a rundown.
Northgate needed just four hits, as it took advantage of nine walks and seven errors.
