Merced County scores 3 runs in ninth inning to defeat Stanislaus County in all-star game
Livingston High School senior Isaac Macias was mobbed by his teammates after sliding across home plate.
Macias scored the winning run as the Merced County All-Stars scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to defeat Stanislaus County 7-6 in the County Clash All-Star Game on Saturday night at Merced College.
Macias scored the winning run on a wild pitch with two outs.
“As soon as I saw the ball get by, I said, ‘You know what, this is a fun game, but it’s time to win it,’” Macias said. “When the ball went off to the right I knew I was going to score easily. I could have tripped and fell, ate dinner, it didn’t matter. I was still going to slide anyway.”
Two of Merced County’s three ninth-inning runs were scored on wild pitches.
Dos Palos’ Isac Mandujano singled off of Central Valley’s Ryan Eastermann to start the ninth. Mariposa’s Jacob Ogilsby followed with a double to put two runners in scoring position with no outs.
Macias then reached on an error to drive in Mandujano to cut the Stanislaus County lead to 6-5.
One out later, Ogilsby scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 6-6 and Macias advanced to third base.
After a fly out for the second out, Macias scored the game-winning run with El Capitan’s Jarrett Blake hitting.
“It was a really fun game,” Mandujano said. “We started kind of slow. It wasn’t really a high energetic game early, but later on in the game we got into it. To win it in the ninth was a lot of fun.”
Gregori’s right-hander Landon Stone started for Stanislaus County on the mound and pitched three scoreless innings without giving up a hit.
Stanislaus County opened up a 3-0 lead with two runs in the fifth inning.
The Merced County offense finally got going as it answered back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. El Capitan’s Braylen Centeno singled in the first run and Mandujano followed with a two-run single to tie the game at 3-3.
Oakdale’s Alex Jones highlighted a two-run sixth inning with an RBI-single for Stanislaus County as it regained the lead at 5-3.
Merced County battled its way back as its seven pitchers held Stanislaus County hitters to just six hits. Buhach Colony’s Erik Munoz threw two scoreless innings for Merced County.
“It was kind of tough out there because the (umpire) wasn’t giving us some calls,” Munoz said. “You just have to adjust.”
Golden Valley’s Koen Heupel pitched the ninth to pick up the win for Merced County.
“It was just fun playing baseball with a bunch of dudes,” Macias said. “It was great to meet these guys and form bonds with new friends.”
