An hour into Park View’s first game in this year’s California Section 7 championship tournament last Saturday at Holtville Little League, the thermometer read 105 degrees. The District 42 champions’ bats proved even hotter in the tourney opener as Park View downed District 66 champion Las Palmas by a score of 10-1.
Park View’s bats kept par with the hot temperatures in the Imperial Valley playing site as the District 42 champions captured two more lopsided games to emerge with their second championship banner on the road to South Williamsport – home of the hallowed Little League World Series.
Park View hammered District 22 champion Imperial, 17-4, in Sunday’s winners bracket final and picked apart Imperial in a second meeting by a final score of 18-7 in Tuesday’s championship game.
The next stop for Park View is the Sub-Division III South tournament at Escondido National Little League/District 31. Their first game is scheduled for Saturday, July 23, at 2 p.m. against the Section 8 champion.
The sub-division championship game is scheduled July 27, with a double-elimination game to follow the next day, if necessary.
Park View enters Saturday’s sub-division opener sporting a 7-1 record.
“What a win!” gushed Park View Little League President Johnny Fuentes in regard to Tuesday’s Section 7 championship-clinching victory. “Our Parkview 12U all-stars played great team baseball. The confidence, determination and perseverance is amazing in each and every one of these players!
“Battling it out in the El Centro tournament with the adversity of the heat and multiple travel trips really shows what kind of team we are dealing with. It is great to see the boys having so much fun in this all. One thing I have repeatedly stated to the coaches and managers this year is that ‘this is all about the kids.’
“The memories of achieving goals as this one is something that these kids will reminisce in years to come. Even with the excitement of this win, our Parkview family understands that there is still a lot of hard work to be done. The competition will get tougher as we move forward, and keeping the energy and connectivity within the boys will bring it all together for them!
“We are another step closer to the dream of playing at Williamsport, Pa., and the boys are ready to play some great baseball! So again, with a little luck and a whole lot of prayers we move forward!”
Park View entered the section tournament with 21 home runs in five games and tacked on six more to increase its heavy-hitting total to 27 home runs in eight games.
Park View held an 8-4 lead after two innings in Tuesday’s section championship game and pulled the killer punch in the fourth inning by scoring six runs to lead 15-7. Park View added three more runs in the top of the fifth inning to post the run-rule victory. Park View pounded out 19 hits in the win.
Omar Cordero led Park View with five RBI after going two-for-four at the plate. Both of his hits were home runs.
Lucas Marrujo went five-for-five with three doubles and two RBI while three players – Ali Camarillo, Anthony Soto Jr. and Julian Padilla – also each drove in two runs. Eight players picked up at least one RBI in the contest.
Camarillo, Marrujo, Cordero and Padilla each scored three runs.
Padilla doubled and tripled while Camarillo also slammed a three-bagger in the game.
Marrujo and Cordero each finished with eight total bases.
Marrujo pitched three innings, yielding six hits and five runs. Padilla and Cachorro Lizarraga each pitched one inning. Padilla gave up three hits and two runs while Lizarraga did not allow a hit, striking out two batters.
Lizarraga and Padilla combined on a six-hitter with nine strikeouts in the section opener while Daniel Leon and Cordero combined on a five-hitter with 11 strikeouts in Sunday’s initial win over Imperial.
Leon pitched four innings with eight strikeouts.
Marrujo finished with six total bases in the win over Las Palmas. He doubled and homered. Camarillo had five total bases – two singles and a triple.
Cordero also hit a home run and finished the game with two RBI. Camarillo led the team with three hits and scored three runs.
In Sunday’s winners bracket final, Santiago Garcia led Park View with five RBI while Cordero and Marrujo each drove in three runs and Adriel Colmenero had two RBI.
Lizarraga led the victors with four total bases – a single and triple. Cordero and Garcia each hit home runs while Money Guevara, Marrujo and Colmenero each stroked doubles.
Park View never trailed in Sunday’s game, leading 5-1 through three innings, before clobbering its opponent with 12 runs in the fifth inning to zip out in front 17-1 on the scoreboard.
Park View’s batters hammered 36 hits in 15 innings and scored 45 runs in its three section tournament games.
Three’s company
Park View’s 12U section championship set the dominoes in motion for District 42’s other two age-group teams, both of which were forced to win double-elimination championship games on Wednesday to also secure coveted Section 7 banners.
In the 10U Division, Eastlake hammered District 41 champion West Hills, 12-2, while Eastlake captured a 6-2 win over District 66 champion Cajon de Oro in the 11U Division title game.
All three District 42 section champions open Sub-Division III South play Saturday.
Eastlake’s 10U all-star team travels to Aliso Viejo Little League for a 1 p.m. game while Eastlake’s 11U all-star team travels to Newmark Little League in San Bernardino for a 5 p.m. game.
“The two Eastlake all-star teams were facing elimination and needed to win their final two games to advance,” District 42 administrator Ernie Lucero noted. “I’m so proud of the players because they played with confidence and perseverance. A lot of the credit also goes to their managers and coaches for instilling an attitude of teamwork and commitment.
“The Park View team looked fresh and ready to go despite very different weather condition in Imperial County unlike our Chula Vista weather. I look forward to watching the team progress to the next level in sub-divisional against the four other section winners in their quest to reach the Western Region finals in San Bernardino.
“I really thank all of our players, managers and coaches for allowing all of us to enjoy and watch some great Little League baseball games. Seeing the enthusiasm of our parents and fans is amazing. Having all of our teams in District 42 advance to the next level shows how the game of baseball is taken seriously in the South County.”
California Section 7 All-Star Baseball Tournaments
12U Division
District 22 Imperial Valley Little League
Saturday, July 16
First round
Park View (District 42) 10, Las Palmas (District 66) 1
Imperial (District 22) 10, Fletcher Hills (District 41) 5
Sunday, July 17
Winners bracket final
Las Palmas 17, Imperial 4
Elimination game
Las Palmas 8, Fletcher Hills 1
Monday, July 18
Challenger bracket final
Imperial 7, Las Palmas 6
Tuesday, July 19
Championship game
Park View 18, Imperial 7
Note: Park View wins championship, advances to Sub-Divivision III South tournament at Escondido National Little League starting Saturday, July 23
11U Division
Fletcher Hills Little League
Saturday, July 16
First round
Eastlake (District 42) 8, Brawley (District 22) 3
Cajon de Oro (District 66) 14, Valley de Oro (District 41) 0
Sunday, July 17
Elimination game
Valley de Oro defeated Brawley, score unavailable
Winners bracket final
Cajon de Oro defeated Eastlake, score unavailable
Monday, July 18
Challenger bracket final
Eastlake 22, Valley deo Oro 4
Tuesday, July 19
Double-elimination game
Eastlake 18, Cajon do Oro 9
Wednesday, July 20
Championship game
Eastlake 6, Cajon de Oro 2
Note: Eastlake wins section championship
10U Division
Eastlake Little League
Saturday, July 16
First round
Eastlake (District 42) 13, Calexico (District 22) 0
West Hills (District 41) 19, Valley do Oro (District 66) 2
Sunday, July 17
Winners bracket final
West Hills 4, Eastlake 3
Elimination game
Valley de Oro defeated Calexico, score unavailable
Monday, July 18
Challenger bracket final
Eastlake 16, Valley de Oro 0
Tuesday, July 19
Double-elimination game
Eastlke 10, West Hills 8
Wednesday, July 20
Championship game
Eastlake 12, West Hills 2
Note: Eastlake wins section championship
Junior League Division
Spring Valley Little League
First round
Saturday, July 9
Calexico (District 22) 11, Eastlake (District 42) 5
West Hills (District 41) 18, Lemon Grove (District 66) 8
Sunday, July 10
Winners bracket final
Calexico (District 22) 6, West Hills (District 41) 5
Elimination game
Lemon Grove 15, Eastlake 14
Monday, July 11
Challenger bracket final
West Hills (District 41) 12, Lemon Grove (District 66) 2
Tuesday, July 13
Championship game
Calexico (District 22) defeated West Hills (District 41), score unavailable
Eastlake Little League having post-season to remember
Eastlake Little League put itself squarely on the map when its 12U team captured a meteoric runner-up finish in the 2013 Little League World Series. The 2016 season is quickly turning out to be equally memorable.
Eastlake Little League began post-season play by advancing four teams to the finals of the annual California District 42 Tournament of Champions, winning two age-group titles.
Eastlake Little League followed that up by winning three of the four division championships in the annual District 42 championship tournament. Eastlake Little League emerged victorious in the 10U, 11U and Junior League divisions.
The league’s 10U and 11U all-star teams went on to capture division championships at the recently completed California Section 7 tournaments. They continue to take the field in search of even greater success in this weekend’s Sub-Division III South tournaments.
The league’s rousing postseason success has not been lost on Eastlake Little League President Mark Robertson.
“We are very proud of all three of our teams and their district championships,” he explained.
More could be coming.
District 42 All-Stars
Eastlake Little League’s 10U all-star team zipped through the district tournament with a 4-0 record, winning by scores of 19-0 (over Southwest), 13-10 (over Park View), 11-1 (over Sweetwater Valley) and 18-3 (also against Sweetwater Valley in the championship game).
Robertson said the 10U team has had extra motivation during its postseason run.
“The 10’s are playing with a heavy heart and an angel in their corner,” the Eastlake Little League president explained. “ One of our star pitchers lost his father in the past couple weeks.”
Trevor Adame held SVLL to three runs in five innings in the championship game.
Robertson said the 10U all-star squad “continues to hit home runs accompanied by key hits throughout the game(s).”
“They have strong pitching and great hitters that should help them in (upcoming tournaments).”
At the sectionals, Eastlake won its opening game, 13-0, over District 22 champion Calexico before dropping a 4-3 decision to District 41 champion West Hills in the winners bracket final. Eastlake rebounded with a 16-0 win over District 66 champion Valley de Oro in the challenger bracket final and, aided with new-found momentum, went on to defeat West Hills by scores of 10-8 and 12-2 in a pair of double-elimination games to claim the section championship.
Robertson said the team’s coaching staff is “working hard to keep the boys focused on their next game and not to look past any opponent.”
So far, it’s worked.
Eastlake Little League’s 11U all-stars opened the District 42 tournament by defeating Park View Little League and Sweetwater Valley Little League by scores of 22-7 and 5-3, respectively. Sweetwater Valley defeated Park View, 19-9, in the challenger bracket final to earn a second crack at Eastlake and won, 10-3, to force a double-elimination championship game on July 11.
Eastlake won the District 42 championship by laying claim to a 9-6 win in the second game against Sweetwater Valley. The teams met three times in the district tournament, with Eastlake winning two of those games.
“(Eastlake) ran into a very tough Sweetwater Valley Little League team in the first of two championship games,” Robertson explained. “(In the double-elimination game), the boys’ bats woke up when Tre Edwards hit a three-run home run to tie the game in the bottom of the third inning. We had to come back one last time, but once we took the lead, we did not let go of it. We have some really great baseball players on our team and they are led by a great manager and coaching staff.”
Like its sibling 10U all-star team, Eastlake Little League’s 11U all-star squad had to come out of the challenger bracket to win the Section 7 championship.
Eastlake defeated District 22 champion Brawley, 8-3, in its section opener but lost to District 41 champion Cajon de Oro in the next round. Eastlake eliminated District 66 champion Valley de Oro, 22-4, in the challenger bracket final to earn a championship rematch against Cajon de Oro.
Eastlake forced a double-elimination game by defeating the District 41 champions by a score of 18-9 on Tuesday and followed that up with a clutch 6-2 win on Wednesday in the championship game.
Esteban Garcia hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning to get Eastlake up early and later, in the fifth inning, Ryan Espinoza singled home teammate Max Reyes for the team’s sixth run into back up winning pitcher Michael Rocha.
“I just pretended it was another game – we work well together, we also pick each other up, we practice well, we also score a lot of runs,” Rocha told a KUSI-TV news crew on site after the game.
The Road to Williamsport and the Little League World Series ended in the district tournament for Eastlake Little League’s 12U all-star team. After opening the eight-team tournament with a dominating 22-0 win over Chula Vista National, Eastlake had its bats cooled off in a 21-2 loss to eventual district champion Park View.
Eastlake returned to the winner’s circle with elimination wins over Southwest (20-1) and Sweetwater Valley (8-4).
Eastlake advanced to the challenger bracket final before bowing, 16-11, to eventual division runner-up Chula Vista American.
District 42 TOC
Eastlake Little League’s teams in the 8U and Minor League divisions each won championships while teams in the 6U and Major League divisions each recorded runner-up place-finishes.
The 8U and Minor League division teams finished 4-0 while the 6U and Major League Division teams both finished 3-1 in tournament play. Between the four teams, Eastlake posted a rather remarkable combined 14-2 record in TOC play.
In the 8U TOC playoffs, Eastlake pounded Chula Vista American, 12-2, in the semifinals before recording a lopsided 15-5 win over Park View in the championship game. Eastlake began its championship odyssey with a 20-0 win over South Bay and a 15-12 win over Sweetwater Valley in pool play.
In the Minors TOC playoffs, Eastlake edged Park View, 9-8, in the semifinals before slipping past Sweetwater Valley, 8-7, in the championship game. Eastlake also collected wins over Park View (10-3) and Luckie Waller (12-0) in pool play.
In 6U TOC playoffs, Eastlake defeated South Bay, 14-9, in the semifinals and came up short by final score of 15-14 to Sweetwater Valley in the championship game. Eastlake began tournament play with pool-round victories against Imperial Beach (8-4) and South Bay (11-4).
In the Major League Division, the Eastlake Blue Jays finished 3-1 with wins over Sweetwater Valley (7-6), Southwest (10-0) and Chula Vista American (2-0) before bowing to the Park View Dodgers by a score of 14-0 in the championship game.
“We are extremely proud of all of our players,” Robertson said in summing up the annual TOC event. “(Our) Majors TOC had a wide range of players — from players who have been playing since T-Ball to players who had never played baseball until this season. They competed and played amazing baseball.
“(Our) Minors 10U TOC won the championship, which was very exciting. They played fundamental baseball the entire tournament. The team had great pitching and everyone was hitting the ball hard. This led to a walk-off double to win the championship.
“(Our) Minors 8U TOC also won the championship. They won 12-2 behind solid pitching, hitting, base running and defense.
“(Our) Minor 6-year-old olds made it to the final championship, but lost in the end.
“All in all, the community of Eastlake is very proud of our young players, coaches and managers.”
Junior League Division
Four teams comprised the Junior League Division during regular season play – two from Eastlake Little League (the Yankees and Rangers) and two from Luckie Waller Little League (the Tigers and Royals).
The Eastlake Yankees finished 17-0 in regular season and tacked on two more wins in the four-team playoffs to post an undefeated 19-0 season. Seven players off that celebrated team continued post-season play as members of the all-star team representing Eastlake in the district’s championship playoffs.
Eastlake defeated Luckie Waller by scores of 14-1 and 13-8 to win this year’s District 42 championship before advancing to compete in the California Section 7 tournament.
Eastlake finished its season with losses to District 22 champion Calexico (11-5) and District 66 champion Lemon Grove (15-14) in double-elimination tournament play July 9-11 at Spring Valley Little League.
Eastlake’s Junior League Division all-star team won its two district playoff games braced by “solid hitting and defense,” according to Robertson.
“Our pitching was able to shut down the opposing team,” Robertson explained. “Our luck ran out at sectionals, but our team competed to the end, eventually losing in extra innings. Ultimately, I am proud of the hard work our managers and players put into this postseason.”
Calexico went on to win the Section 7 tournament and advance to the Sub-Division III South tournament.
Eastlake Little League
District 42 Tournament of Champions Teams
MAJOR LEAGUE DIVISION
Eastlake Blue Jays
Players: Brandon Mora, Ryan Espinoza, Greyson Naugle, Michael Rocha, Matty Duran, Emilio Darcy, Aidan Andre, Adrain Merino, Nick Bethel, Luis Soto, Freddy Swingle and Tristan Gonzalez
Manager: Eddy Espinoza
MINOR-A
10U DIVISION
Players: Sebastian Casillas, James Cummings, Aidan Flores, Josh Garcia, Anthony Hinojosa, Johnny Huerta, Kyler Lagdamen, Pedro Maria-Romek, Michael Mason, Dante Millan, Blaize Mooney, Landon Reid, Tyler Toon, Diego Uribe and David Zayachkowski
Manager: Jorge Millan
MINOR-B
8U DIVISION
Players: Joshua Alo, Carson Bernstein, Aaron Corona, Matthew Delgado, Noah Flores, Robert Ford, Hamza Hatahet, Landon Holtzapple, Liam Lee, Guillermo McFarland, Armando Mendevil-Becceril, Patrick Parker, Ezekiel Quintana, Angel Velarde and Alexander Waisbord
Manager: Tom Alo
SINGLE-A
6-Year-old Division
Players: Augustine Anderson, Austin Bogle, Cassius Cruz, Diego Esparza, Zack Gurule, Frankie Lagler, Trevor Marcial, Isaak Martinez, Ethan Orosco, Omar Perez, Zachary Phillips, Tino Rankin, Ryan Tandy and Emilio Uribe
Manager: Mitch Gurule
Eastlake Little League
District 42 All-Star Teams
Junior Division
Players: Hunter Andrews, Dylan Baca, Evan Davis, Joshua Elwood, Xavier Ibanez, Q Johnson, Daniel Joiner, Luke Killeen, Anthony Manriquez, Jordanpaul Martinez, Austin Mulhern, Johnathan Scott, Jr., Tyler Tomlinson and Yuma Yamaguchi
Team manager: Tim Johnson
12U Division
Players: Eric Balint, Garret Beckhelm, Adam Bland, Andrew Brandon, Devin Chavez, Manuel Galvan, Ethan Hillman, Tano Letuli, Jonathan Marquez, Brandon Mora, Greyson Naugle, Mason Richard, and Noe Trujillo
Team manager: Eric Balint
11U Division
Players: Steven Arciniega, Jake Baca, Sebastian De La Toba, Tre Edwards, Ryan Espinoza, Sebastian Espinoza, Esteban Garcia, Justin Graham, Isaiah Lane, Aidan Millan, Max Reyes, Michael Rocha, and Xavier Zamora
Team manager: Adam Villarreal
10U Division
Players: Trevor Adame, Matt Bjornstad, Dereck Borruel, Logan Caldwell, Kain Cruz, Jake Davis, Matt Duran, Adrian Flores, Carlos Mack, Ivan Murillo, Max Radovan, Charlie Singleton, and Brody Wells
Team manager: Mark Wells
