Lathrop’s softball team scored the first four runs Friday at Central Valley but held off a late rally for a 9-7 Western Athletic Conference victory.

Ja’Leiyah Ray helped the Spartans (3-2 WAC, 6-4 overall) accumulate some needed insurance runs with a homer, finishing with three RBIs. Luz DeLuna went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Kendall Stewart drove in two runs, and Tianna Gonzalez was 2-for-4 with two steals and two runs.

Winning pitcher Maci DeCosta went the distance, striking out six. The Hawks (2-3, 8-5) rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh but came up short.

BASEBALL

East Union 10, Patterson 5

The Lancers (2-4 Valley Oak League, 8-8 overall) were able to avoid a three-game sweep against host Patterson (4-3, 8-5), scoring four unanswered runs in the late innings to escape with the win. They were down 5-2 after two innings but erupted for four runs in the top of the third and never trailed again.

Kirk Simoni highlighted EU’s 11-hit attack, going 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs. Brayden Camara went 2-for-3 with two runs, two steals and two RBIs. Jackson Fay contributed a double in his 2-for-5 effort. Joe Alvarez chipped in two RBIs.

Sophomore Joe Alvarez got the win. He had six strikeouts and bounced back well after the Tigers went on their five-run rally in the second.

Manteca 13, Mountain House 1 (5)

The Buffaloes (7-2 VOL, 14-3 overall) completed the lopsided series sweep.

Jeremy Cross (two strikeouts), Chris Chavez (two strikeouts) and Cameron Jimenez (strikeout) combined to pitch a four-hitter.

Preston Smith led the offense with a 3-for-4 effort that includes a double, two runs and an RBI. Jimenez went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI. Cross drove in a pair of runs.

Mountain House (0-7, 4-12-1) tied it at 1-1 in the second inning before the Buffs broke it wide open with nine runs in the top of the fourth.

Oakdale 8, Sierra 2

Sierra (2-6 VOL, 4-9 overall) ended its scoreless streak at 26 innings, plating two runs in the top of the sixth inning. Oakdale (7-2, 10-6) responded with two of its own in the bottom half and secured the victory.

Wyatt Bauer knocked in both runs for the Timberwolves, who were limited to three hits. Oakdale standout Landon Schutte had a double and three RBIs, while Griffin Costa went 3-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and three runs.

Ripon 10, Sonora 3

The visiting Indians (2-2, 6-7 overall) broke open the Trans Valley League contest with a seven-run outburst in the seventh inning.

Brayden McDowell led the onslaught, going 2-for-2 with a double, two walks, two runs and three RBIs. Joseph Molthen also knocked in three runs.

Freshman Frank Carter Castro was the winning pitcher. He registered five strikeouts while holding Sonora (2-3, 2-11) to two hits in four innings.

Escalon 4, Ripon Christian 1

Max Anderson knocked in Talen Tameling in the bottom of the seventh, but that was all the host Knights (0-5, 6-9 overall) could muster in the TVL tilt.

Stadtler Postma and Anderson both went 2-for-4. Jordan Luisi pitched six solid innings, firing five strikeouts over six innings. Freshman Trenton Cloward pitched a perfect seventh to cap a combined three-hitter.

Ian Burk got the win for Escalon (4-1, 10-6), compiling seven strikeouts against three hits and a walk in five innings.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

Lathrop 3, Johansen 0

The Spartans (5-2 WAC, 14-5 overall) cruised to their sixth straight victory, 25-6, 25-12, 25-13.

Gabriel Fa’ali’i netted a team-high 14 kills, Meauta Miller added six and Cameron Loyola had four.

Mario Luna racked up 25 assists. Libero Elias Medel (five digs), Persius Fa’ali’i and Gurmukh Sinch each served four aces.

JV boys volleyball

Lathrop 2, Johansen 0

Lathrop swept 25-20, 25-15 behind Jayden White’s eight kills, three digs and two aces.

Dylan Beltran chipped in four kills and two blocks. Bryan Gamboa produced three kills, nine digs and a block.

Setter Cayden Phaing finished with 23 assists and five aces. Christopher Ygay picked up six digs and served three aces.