MANTECA — For the second consecutive year, Manteca pitcher Ryan Ward kept intracity rival East Union nearly hitless during intracity Valley Oak League action Wednesday and picked up the win at Agostini Field.
Ward’s one-hitter through five innings enabled his teammates to claim a 7-2 victory on the same field in which some still say Ward deserved a complete-game, no-hitter last April. Regardless, Ward’s seven strikeouts Wednesday was enough to end a four-game skid for the Buffaloes (3-4 VOL, 12-8 overall).
“We both battled, but we put the ball in play today and put a little pressure on (East Union),” Ward said.