Merced was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their seventh straight loss dating back to last season. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost a 3-2 heartbreaker at the hands of the Ripon Indians. The Bears were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Indians apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in February of 2025.
Merced got a good showing from Xavian Morales, who pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit.
On the hitting side, Vicente Cortez made the most of his time in the batter's box despite the final result and got on base in two of his three plate appearances with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
Merced's loss dropped their record down to 0-2. As for Ripon, their victory ended a four-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 3-1.
Looking ahead, Merced will square off against Modesto at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. As for Ripon, they will take on Tokay in a tournament on Saturday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
