STOCKTON — What started as a game of missed opportunities for the Northgate Yankees ended in a thrilling 6-4 come-from-behind win over the Tracy Giants in the semifinal contest of the District 67 Junior Tournament of Champions at Paul Weston Park.
The Yankees had fallen behind 4-1 going into the fourth inning after stranding seven runners when an errant pickoff attempt plated two Northgate runners to and leadoff batter Brad Tajii (3 for 3, triple, two RBIs) knocked in another run to tie the game at 4.
Tajii tripled in the fifth inning to plate Cody Keener and came in to score on the first of three Tracy errors in the inning.
John Huizar started on the hill for Northgate and went into the fifth inning, allowing six hits total and four runs in the second inning after being victimized by an error.
Kyle Adriaens came in with two on and no out in the fifth, retiring five of the next six batters he faced. Dakota Connors took the mound in seventh and induced a infield pop-up before walking the next batter. Shortstop Andrew Ruiz then fielded a line drive and doubled up the runner on first to end the game.
Connors was 2 for 4 with a triple and an RBI and Keener walked three times, scoring twice.
Tracy will play the winner of Wednesday’s Northgate Cardinals-Salida Rockies consolation-bracket quarterfinal today at 5 p.m., and the winner of that game faces the Yankees at 5 p.m. in the championship round. A Yankees win Friday ends the tournament and a loss forces an “if” game on Saturday.
The Yankees had fallen behind 4-1 going into the fourth inning after stranding seven runners when an errant pickoff attempt plated two Northgate runners to and leadoff batter Brad Tajii (3 for 3, triple, two RBIs) knocked in another run to tie the game at 4.
Tajii tripled in the fifth inning to plate Cody Keener and came in to score on the first of three Tracy errors in the inning.
John Huizar started on the hill for Northgate and went into the fifth inning, allowing six hits total and four runs in the second inning after being victimized by an error.
Kyle Adriaens came in with two on and no out in the fifth, retiring five of the next six batters he faced. Dakota Connors took the mound in seventh and induced a infield pop-up before walking the next batter. Shortstop Andrew Ruiz then fielded a line drive and doubled up the runner on first to end the game.
Connors was 2 for 4 with a triple and an RBI and Keener walked three times, scoring twice.
Tracy will play the winner of Wednesday’s Northgate Cardinals-Salida Rockies consolation-bracket quarterfinal today at 5 p.m., and the winner of that game faces the Yankees at 5 p.m. in the championship round. A Yankees win Friday ends the tournament and a loss forces an “if” game on Saturday.
