STOCKTON – Not many teams can bounce back from giving up 12 runs in one inning, but Northgate did just that on Saturday. 

Northgate saw a six-run lead turn into a six-run deficit in the fifth inning when Linden led off the bottom of the frame with back-to-back singles followed by five consecutive walks, a hit batter and two errors. By the time the dust settled Linden tallied 12 runs but Northgate came back to escape with a 13-12 win to open the Section 6 9-10-year-old All-Star Tournament at Christa McAuliffe Middle School. 

Northgate entered the top of the sixth trailing 12-10. George Mendoza (3 for 4, double, two RBI) and D’angelo Camera led off the inning with consecutive singles and both came in to tie the score on Robbie Espinosa’s triple down the right-field line. Espinosa scampered home on a groundout by Hunter Canady (three RBI) to put Northgate ahead 13-12.

Defense took over for Northgate in the bottom of the sixth. With a runner on first and no out, Linden attempted a bunt and pitcher Mendoza opted to go to Espinosa second and forced the runner in the nick of time for the first out. Catcher Blake Mount then fired a laser to Quinn Martinez covering second to gun down an attempted steal and Espinosa squeezed a towering pop fly for the third out.  

Northgate put up six runs in the third inning behind a Canady’s two-RBI single and Mount (2 for 4, two RBI, home run, two runs). Northgate add three more runs in the fourth with Mendoza’s two-RBI single and an RBI single by Ryan Guibor. Mount had a solo home run to lead off the fifth.

Northgate lost a second-round game Sunday 8-4 to Turlock American. Noah Navarro was 3 for 4 with a run. Mendoza was 2 for 3 and Mount, Schluer and Canady all scored a run.

Northgate has a consolation game today against Linden at 5:30 p.m.