TRACY – What a difference a day makes.

One day after a heart-breaking one-run loss to Delta of Stockton sent Manteca to the consolation bracket of the Section 6 Major All-Star Tournament at Monticello School, Manteca erupted for a six-run first inning on the way to an 11-3 win over Turlock American.

Jackson Brunn (2 for 2, three RBI) and Austin Kovacs (3 for 4, double, two RBI) each had a two-RBI single in the first inning for Manteca.

Manteca added three more runs in the fourth inning on just three hits. Two errors and a walk left Kovacs on third, Karson condit on second and Max Gulart on first with no out. Ryan Zimmerman was hit by a pitch to drive in Kovacs, Brunn singled in Condit and Isaac Searcy sacrificed in Gulart.

Before pitching 1.2 innings of scoreless relief, Zimmerman  was spectacular in center field, catching one fly ball running full speed toward the fence and another that was held up deep by the wind.

Searcy started on the mound for Manteca and thanks to outstanding defense faced the minimum in 2.2 innings of work. Shortstop Kovacs started a 6-4-3 double play throwing to Tyler Garlets at second and on to Karson Condit at first to end the first inning, catcher Briggs Alavezos (triple) cut down Landon Magina trying to steal second base in the second and Zimmerman made his running catch in the third.

Manteca faces Delta today at 5:30 p.m. and must win to force a winner-take-all contest on Wednesday.

 

Senior Division II

Manteca 10,
Wasco-Bakersfield 0 (5)

Manteca rebounded from its first loss of the summer Friday with a mercy-rule victory Saturday at American River College in Carmichael.

Tyler Graves-Kelso started on the mound for Manteca and threw two perfect innings, striking out three. Zach Chamberlain came in and pitched a perfect third inning and was replaced by Kyle Rachels in the fourth. Rachels inherited a bases-loaded jam. He pitched out of that and had a three-up-three-down fifth inning to end the game.

Most of the Manteca runs came via small ball – Mitch Balmut had two sacrifice bunts, one for a run – but the big hit of the game for Manteca was a two-RBI triple by Graves-Kelso to plate Balmut and Rachels in the second inning to make the score 6-0.

Jonathan Murillo had a two-RBI single for Manteca with Chamberlain, Rachels and Ferrin Manueleua each getting an RBI. Jake Menasco (2 for 3) had a pair of RBI singles.

Manteca played either Branham Hills or Oakland Monday night and results were not available at press time.

 

Branham Hills 5,
Manteca 0

The loss Friday night dropped Manteca’s summer record to 19-1 and sent it into the consolation bracket.

Normally a hitting machine, Manteca managed just three hits with Jonathan Murillo, Rachels and Manueleua each getting a single.