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Northgate Little Leaguers thump Manteca in District 67 semifinal
Northgate-Manteca Major All-Stars
Northgate’s Carson Beck slides home safely ahead of the tag by Manteca’s Dominic Sanchez in the fourth inning. - photo by Dave Campbell

 Sparked by the bottom half of their lineup on Thursday, Northgate’s Major Division all-stars put on an early Fourth of July fireworks show Thursday in a 14-2 mercy-rule blowout of Manteca at Neil Hafley School.

The win sends Northgate to the District 67 Tournament final set for Saturday, 9 a.m. back at Neil Hafley. Manteca faces Ripon in the consolation semifinal tonight at Legacy Fields in Tracy.

What started as a pitchers' duel turned into a hit parade.

Jack Benedetti, batting seventh in Northgate’s order, led off the top of the third inning with a home run to left field that broke the scoreless tie. He finished 2 for 3 with three runs scored.

Northgate went on to plate three in the inning, eight more in the fourth and three in the fifth. Aiden Howe hammered a solo blast of his own during the fourth-inning onslaught and was followed by back-to-back doubles from Nolan Mendes and Carson Beck. Howe went 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs.

Eleven of its overall runs were scored by the last five batters in Northtgate’s 10-man lineup, who combined to hit 6 for 11 with six RBIs. Jackson Coenenberg was 2 for 2 with three runs and three RBIs from the No. 9 spot.

Northgate-Manteca Major All-Stars
Manteca’s Dominic Sanchez slides into second ahead of the tag by Northgate’s Jackson Frisk in the second inning.

Leadoff hitter Jackson Frisk went 3 for 4. Graham Allen and Carlos Naranjo added two runs apiece. Northgate totaled 13 hits.

Naranjo was also the winning pitcher, throwing the first 3 1/3 innings. He gave up two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out six. Alius Lopez retired five of Manteca’s last six batters, registering two strikeouts against no hits and a walk.

Northgate had a chance to end the game after four innings, but Manteca did not go away quietly. Trent Sprecksel, who went 2 for 2, played a part in both of Manteca’s runs. He knocked in Isaih Todd with a single and later scored on Grayson Keller’s bases-loaded walk. Dominic Jiminez and Dominic Sanchez each had a hit for Manteca.


Ripon 11, Salida 8

A six-run, two-out rally in the second inning helped catapult Ripon into the consolation semifinal.

Easton Cloward spearheaded the attack, going 3 for 3 with two runs. Bronson Dietrich and Benji Sybesma each went 2 for 3 with a run.

Robbie Nieweg chipped in a double, two walks and a run. Maverick Brum had a double, a walk and two runs.