STOCKTON — Ripon Little League’s 11-under all-stars got another crack at Delta Sunrise on Monday night after getting sent to the consolation bracket by the Stockton club on Saturday.
Ripon came out hitting on all cylinders in the consolation semifinal, coming out with a resounding 24-3 four-inning mercy-rule thumping. The championship round tonight at 5:30 against District 73 champion Turlock National at Christa McAuliffe School.
Leading 13-2 going into the fourth inning, Ripon erupted for 11 more runs behind six of their 19 hits to put the game far out of reach.
Everyone reached base at least once for Ripon and every Ripon player scored. Jesse Hernandez (two RBI, run) and Benji Sybesma (ground-rule double, three runs) led the Ripon attack with both going 3 for 4, Bronson Dietrich (three RBI, four runs), Hudson Rushing (double, three runs) and Jessy Vega (two runs) all went 2 for 3, Easton Cloward was 2 for 4 with three RBI and three runs, Mason Dodson tallied two RBI and two runs, Logan Alexander and Jude Segura both knocked in a run and scored a run, Gio Sandoval scored three runs and Maverick Brum one.
Rushing started on the mound and went 2.2 innings, allowing two runs on two hits with four strikeouts. Hernandez went the final 1.1 innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits.
Delta Sunrise 13, Ripon 11
One out away from being eliminated via the mercy rule Saturday, Ripon put up four runs in the fourth inning and five more in the fifth but it was not enough as Delta Sunrise held on for a 13-11 win in opening-round action.
Trailing 12-2, Alexander (2 for 3, two runs) led off the Ripon fourth with an infield single. The next two batters were retired bringing Brum (two runs, RBI) to the plate. Brum and Sandoval (two runs) walked to load the bases with Rushing (2 or 3, two RBI, three runs) getting hit by a pitch to plate Alexander. Brum came in on a single by Dietrich (2 for 3, two RBI) and an error off the bat of Sybesma scored Sandoval and Rushing to draw Ripon within 12-6.
Ripon added five more in the fifth. Alexander singled to start the frame. Dodson (run) sacrificed Alexander to second and reached on an error. Segura hit an infield single to load the bases and Brum was hit by a pitch, plating Alexander. Consecutive singles by Rushing, Dietrich, and Sybesma scored Dodson, Segura and Drum. Rushing came in on a bases-loaded walk to Jessy (two RBI) to draw Ripon within 12-11.
Ripon jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Sandoval walked and Rushing reached on a single. Sandoval scored on an error and Vega singled in Rushing.
After an eight-run third for Delta Sunrise in the third, Hernandez limited Delta Sunrise to one run in the final two innings on one hit.
