South offense shines, snapping a five-game losing streak in Merced County All-Star Game

The bats for the South start hot as they cranked out five hits during a three-run first inning and never cooled off.

The South racked up 18 hits in a 13-5 win over the North in the Merced County All-Star baseball game on Saturday night at Merced College.

The victory snapped a five-game winning streak by the North.

“It was amazing,” said Dos Palos senior Isac Mandujano, ho finished with two hits, two runs and two RBIs. “It was nice to finally get a win for the South. A lot of our guys have been all-stars the last couple years so we had a little bit of chemistry.”

Mandujano, Mariposa’s Jacob Ogilby and Le Grand’s Diego Martinez all recorded run-scoring hits in the first inning against Los Banos freshman right-hander Julian Cazares.

The South tacked on two more runs in the second inning with the help of an RBI double by Dos Palos’ Will Montemurro to open up a 5-0 lead.

Meanwhile, El Capitan High School senior Mitchell Hunter set the tone for the South pitching staff by pitching two scoreless innings.

Hunter recorded five of his six outs on ground balls and gave up just two hits.

“Maybe in the past I would have been really nervous,” Hunter said. “But after the season I had and the preparation I’ve done I was confident out there and ready to go.”

The North answered with three runs in the third inning as Los Banos’ Julian Mejia, Atwater’s Kevin Ross and Buhach Colony’s Eric Munoz all drove in runs with hits during the rally.

Gustine’s DJ Segura then doubled in the fourth inning and came around to score on a single by Delhi’s Sammy Soto to pull the North within 5-4.

However, the South offense kept scoring runs.

The South scored three runs in the fourth and three more runs in the fifth to extend its lead to 11-4.

Golden Valley’s Coen Heupel and Hunter were named the Player of the Game for the South. Heupel had two hits, a stolen base and pitched a scoreless ninth inning.

Buhach Colony’s Landon Laplante was named the Player of the Game for the North going 1 for 2 at the plate with a walk.

Heupel, Mandujano, Martinez, Montemurro and Mariposa’s Hunter Johnson all had two hits for the South.

El Capitan’s Andrew Bakken, Sonora’s Robert Asli, Le Grand’s Carlos Castaneda and Heupel all pitched scoreless innings in relief for the South.

“We’re so used to playing each other when it’s El Capitan against Merced or Golden Valley,” Hunter said. “It was nice to see who made it and bond with players from across the league. There was no stress tonight. We just got to come out here and have fun.”

For others it was another opportunity to play with friends.

“I’ve played with these Dos Palos guys since I was seven years old,” Mandujano said. “It was amazing to get to play with them one more time.”

Next Saturday the Merced County all-stars will play an all-star team from Stanislaus County in the County Clash All-Star game at Merced College at 7 p.m.