While Park View Little League’s Green Machine had staved off elimination six times to reach the Little League World Series West Region championship tournament, the team had likely played no game as significant as Thursday’s semifinal game against Hawaii champion Wailuku Central East Maui Little League. The stakes were high: the winner advanced to Saturday’s championship game … one win away from qualifying for the iconic Little League World Series.
Park View’s players strode into Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino seemingly confident and relaxed – two key components to victory. They also strode into the stadium amid rousing cheers from the team’s large fan base.
The journey to get to this game has been long – 18 games – but the reward was so near.
It remained almost out of reach until the final out was recorded in what turned from a Park View rout to a 14-11 cliffhanger over the never-say die Hawaii team in front of more than 4,000 fans.
With the victory Park View (17-2) will play Nevada state champion Las Vegas Mountain Ridge Saturday at 6 p.m. (ESPN2) for the right to advance to the Little League World Series.
“We had a plan coming in and we’ve executed,” Park View manager Jorge Camarillo explained following Thursday’s dramatic win. “We’re in a great spot. We’ve been talking all season about playing one game at a time, and now there’s one game.”
“I’m really excited to get here,” Park View’s Lucas Marrujo explained. “Playing in the championship game proves we have the talent (to be successful). If we win that game, it will be all the more sweeter.”
“It’s a dream come true getting this chance to go to Williamsport,” Park View’s Santiago Garcia explained.
“This is the greatest position we’ve been in,” Park View catcher Anthony Soto Jr. said. “We’re playing with confidence.”
They need to take advantage of it.
Green Machine
Park View never trailed in Thursday’s semifinal – unquestionably the biggest game the team had played all season – but ragged play in the final stages of the contest did place the outcome in jeopardy. At one point in a six-run, sixth-inning outburst, the Hawaii team brought the tying run to the plate.
“The fans got their money’s worth,” Camarillo quipped.
The Southern California champions looked exceptionally poised in racing to a 6-1 lead while the Hawaii team appeared in disarray.
Ali Camarillo singled to start the game against Hawaii starting pitcher Levi Madella. Camarillo reached second base on a wild pitch and moved to third base on a groundout by teammate Marrujo. Camarillo then scored the game’s first run on another wild pitch.
Meanwhile, it took Marrujo – the Green Machine’s starter – just nine pitches to put down Hawaii in the bottom of the first inning on a pair of grounders and a strikeout.
Park View extended its lead to 3-0 by tacking on two more runs in the top of the second inning, again aided by some generosity on the part of the Hawaii state champions.
Daniel Leon reached base on a field error to lead off the inning and followed with a bunt single to place runners at first and second bases. Omar Cordero then singled to center field to load the bases with none out.
A wild pitch scored Leon for a 2-0 Park View lead.
Padilla struck out for the first out of the inning but Madella uncorked another wild pitch to score Soto.
3-0 Park View.
When Luis Guevara drew a walk, Park View loaded the bases again. However, an ensuing double play erased further damage.
Hawaii plated one run in the bottom of the second inning as Marrujo ran into a bit of trouble.
A single by Madella, bunt single by Evan Wellerstein and a walk to Kamaunu Vehikite-Kahaialli promptly loaded the bases. Guevara grabbed an infield pop fly for the first out but special pinch runner Davin Lewis scored on a fielder’s choice for the second out of the inning.
Marrujo then got out of the jam by striking out Makane Honokaupu to end the inning, though with an inflated pitch-count.
3-1 Green Machine.
To their credit, Park View scored in every inning, having an answer for whatever the Hawaii state champions did in their half of the previous frame.
Marrujo and Lizarraga drew back-to-back walks to open the top of the third inning. Madella struck out Park View’s Adam Amaro for the first out of the inning. However, an ensuing walk to Leon loaded the bases.
A wild pitch scored Marrujo to make the score 4-1 and Lizarraga came home on another wild pitch to increase the Park View lead to 5-1.
The gift runs proved fortuitous.
“They threw us a curve ball when they put in someone else who we weren’t expecting, but we took advantage of the opportunity,” the Park View manager said.
Lewis replaced Madella on the mound and gave up a single to Soto to score another run to hike Park View’s lead to 6-1.
But the five-run lead did not survive long.
Singles by Daniels and Painter put two runners on board with none out. Marrujo was unable to do anything with a surprise bunt attempt by Wehiwa Aloy, plating one run while placing another runner on base. However, the Green Machine pitcher got out of further damage by inducing a groundout, getting a called third strike on another batter and inducing another groundout to end the inning.
6-2 Park View.
But the Green Machine got that run back when Garcia led off the top of the fourth inning with a home run to center field.
7-2 Park View.
The wheels came off somewhat for the Green Machine in the bottom of the fourth inning. Dylan Waite and Lewis singled to right field to drive Marrujo off the mound. Ju Ju Padilla replaced Marrujo but gave up a single to Honokaupu to load the bases.
Padilla got one out on a comebacker. But Painter followed with a sacrifice fly to score Waite and Aloy followed with a single to score two runs.
7-5 Park View.
Park View appeared to put the game out of reach with seven runs in the top of fifth and sixth innings.
Devin Hinojosa singled to left field and Josh Bruce followed with a single to left field but a fielder’s choice by Jonluke Hobdy erased Hinojosa at third base. However, a single by Padilla loaded the bases with one out.
Garcia doubled to center field to score two runs to give Park View some breathing room with a 9-5 lead. Camarillo singled to center field to plate another run and increase the Green Machine’s cushion to 10-5.
Garcia scored on a wild pitch to make the score 11-5 and Marrujo followed with a groundout to make the score 12-5 after four-and-a-half innings.
Braced by a seven-run lead, Padilla put the Hawaii team down in order in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The two runs the District 42 champions scored in the top of the sixth inning proved to be the difference in the game.
Hinojosa was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Soto then doubled to right field to advance Hinojosa to third base. Following a groundout, Padilla single to right field to score Hinojosa.
13-5 Park View.
Guevara was hit by a pitch to load the bases. After a pitching change by Central East Maui, Camarillo hit into a fielder’s choice to score Soto.
14-5 Park View.
Game over? It was time to think again.
It seems the final three outs in any baseball game are always the hardest to get, and the scenario was no different on Thursday.
The Hawaiians turned the tables on the SoCal champs in the final frame as they refused to go down meekly. It was highly reminiscent of last year’s regional championship game when the Hawaii state champion reeled off three doubles and two singles, with the game ending 12-10 in Sweetwater Valley’s favor, on a final rundown between third base and home plate.
Central East Maui punished Park View with six hits, including four consecutive, to rush back into contention.
The bottom of the sixth inning opened innocuously enough when second baseman Luis Guevara mishandled a grounder that allowed Lewis to reach first base. However, the innocent misplay opened the floodgates for a spirited Hawaii comeback.
Honokaupu followed with a triple to center field to score Lewis and Danelle Daniels promptly singled to score Honokaupu.
14-7 Southern California.
Keoni Painter then reached base safely on a bunt single that Padilla could not successfully field. Padilla appeared to slip on the play and did not take the ball out of his glove.
When Aloy lined a single to center field, Hawaii had suddenly loaded the bases with none out.
Park View appeared to douse the rally by turning a double play in which the runner at home was put out. But Hawaii remained alive with runners and second and third bases with two out.
Wellerstein reached base on an error when the younger Camarillo misplayed a ball hit to the shortstop position. Painter scored and Aloy advanced to third base on the play.
14-8 Southern California.
Padilla remained on the mound in search of the final out but could not retire the next three batters he faced. Matthew Dinae singled to left field to score Aloy.
14-9 Southern California.
Padilla then hit Zachary Pascual with a pitch to re-load the bases. Lewis, up for his second go-around in the inning, promptly singled to score Wellerstein and Dinae (when the throw home was wide).
14-11 Southern California.
At this point, the Park View coaching staff had seen enough and replaced Padilla on the mound with Hobdy.
Hobdy faced one batter with the tying runner at the plate in the person of Honokaupu, also making his second appearance at the plate in the inning.
When Honokaupu struck out swinging for the final out of the game, Park View’s players could finally smile – and let out a colossal sigh or relief.
“This tournament is probably the most stressful we’ve have in all-stars (this summer),” Soto explained during the post-game press conference. “It’s been crazy. The first two games we were down early and had to come back. That made is stressful. The Hawaii game was different from the first two in that we went up early and they came back.”
“We were fortunate to get up big (because) we knew Hawaii had good bats,” the Park View manager said. “We’re still trying to recover… we knew what Hawaii could do coming in.”
Two fielding errors conspired to extend the inning for Hawaii.
After returning to the dugout upon the final out, Park View players began chanting “One more win! … One more win!”
The meaning was obvious: Williamsport.
All the stress can be erased with a win in Saturday’s championship game.
Extra bases
The teams combined for 25 runs, 28 hits and five errors. Central East Maui actually out-hit Park View 15-13. Each team stranded seven runners on base.
Soto led Park View with three hits while Camarillo, Padilla and Garcia each had two hits.
Camarillo, Leon, Soto and Garcia each scored two runs.
Garcia led Park View with three RBI after going two-for-two with a home run and double. Camarillo drove in two runs in the game.
“I just wanted to help the team,” explained Garcia, who led the Green Machine with six total bases in the game. “I was just focusing on my bat like every other game.”
Marrujo pitched three innings, allowed seven hits, four earned runs, struck out three and walked one. He threw 63 pitches (68 percent of them strikes) and wound up with the win as Park View never trailed in the game.
He was apologetic about his outing. “I wasn’t hitting my spots,” he admitted during a post-game press conference. “I kept the ball up and they started racking it.”
Padilla pitched two-and-two-thirds innings, allowed eight hits, seven runs (two earned runs) and struck out three batters while failing to issue a walk. He threw 48 pitches (69 percent of them strikes).
Hobdy pitched to one batter, throwing seven pitches, to get the final strikeout and receive credit for the save.
The three Park View pitchers combined to strike out seven batters in the game.
Aloy led Hawaii with three hits and three RBI while Lewis scored three runs.
Central East Maui used five pitchers, allowing nine earned runs, five walks, two hit batters and seven wild pitches.
Madella was tagged with the loss.
Garcia’s home run was the 61st hit by the Green Machine during all-star tournament play (19 games).
Batter’s box
Nevada eliminated Hawaii, 9-0, in Friday’s second semifinal game. It was the third elimination game victory for the Las Vegas team, which enters Saturday’s championship game having racked up 39 runs in those three wins.
Ace hurler Garrett Cutting threw a shutout, striking out 11 Hawaii batters while allowing just one hit in six innings.
Mountain Ridge broke open a close game by scoring six runs in the top of the fifth inning. Luke Miles hit a solo home run, while Rylan Evans and Ethan Hare each hit a two-run singles.
Cutting helped his own cause at the plate by scoring two runs and driving in two runs with a home run. On the mound, he was even more fantastic. He threw 84 pitches – 75 percent of them strikes – and did not walk a batter.
Ryan Watkins went three-for-three with singles in the second, third and fifth innings. Justin Scioli and Watkins each scored twice.
Keoni Painter stuck out 10 Nevada batters in his four innings on the mound. Painter, who took the loss, allowed three runs on four hits. Wehiwa Aloy, who pitched two-thirds of an inning in relief, allowed four runs (one earned) on three hits
The game served to avenge an 8-0 loss to Hawaii in the opening game of the tournament.
Little League World Series
West Region Championship
Sunday, Aug. 7
Hawaii 8, Nevada 0
Southern California 18, Northern California 3 (10 innings)
Monday, Aug. 8
Southern California 7, Arizona 4
Hawaii 5, Utah 2
Tuesday, Aug. 9
Elimination games
Nevada 15, Arizona 4 (5 innings)
Utah 7, Northern California 6
Wednesday, Aug. 10
Elimination game
Nevada 15, Utah 4 (4 innings)
Thursday, Aug. 11
Semifinal (winners bracket)
Southern California 14, Hawaii 11
Friday, Aug. 12
Semifinal (challenger bracket)
Nevada 9, Hawaii 0
Saturday, Aug. 13
Championship game
Southern California 1, Nevada 0
Note: Park View advances to Little League World Series
Park View slips past Nevada state champions, nail down Little League World Series berth
Park View Little League’s Green Machine will have to change the color of its nickname after earning a berth in this year’s Little League World Series. The West region champions will wear blue jerseys at this year’s LLWS tournament, not Park View green.
Park View added the Little League World Series West Region title to its growing list of all-star championship banners after slipping past Las Vegas Mountain Ridge Little League, 1-0, Saturday night in front of a packed crowd estimated at 12,000 at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino.
The Green Machine will next the field Friday in South Williamsport, Pa., against Midwest region champion Johnston Little League from Des Moines, Iowa. Game time is 1 p.m. Pacific time.
“It’s surreal,” explained Park View manager Jorge Camarillo, whose team improved to 18-2 in all-star tournament play. “It started when we were eliminated in last year’s district tournament. We worked hard to get here. I have 14 ball-players. At the end of the day, they find a way to get it done.”
Again.
The regional championship game win was the 11th consecutive for Park View after opening the Southern California-South sub-division tournament with a loss. The Green Machine won five consecutive elimination games, swept the ensuing best-of-three Southern California/Division III championship series and successfully navigated a somewhat improbable 4-0 showing in the six-team regional tournament despite being down to its final strike in its tourney opener against Northern California champion Vacaville Central.
“The kids never gave up,” Camarillo underscored.
Park View scored the game’s lone run in the bottom of the fourth inning while starting pitcher Victor Lizarraga took care of the rest on the mound by tossing a one-hitter and striking out 13 batters.
Nevada starter Chase Ditmar allowed only three hit but four errors charged to Mountain Ridge proved costly.
With the scoreboard knotted in zeroes, Adriel Colmenero led off the frame by reaching first base on a fielding error. Daniel Leon failed to advance him on a pop bunt but csather Anthony Soto Jr. followed with an infield hit to place two runners on base. When Adam Amaro reached safely on a fielding error charged to the Nevada shortstop, Park View had the bases loaded with just one out.
Ju Ju Padilla hit a sharply-hit ball up the middle that Mountain Ridge was able to turn into a force play for the second out of the inning. However, the Park View runner on third base scored.
Ditmar got out of the jam by striking out Santi Garcia for the third out of the inning but Lizarraga finally had all he needed to work with.
The Park View hurler struck out the side in both the first and second innings and retired eight of the first nine Nevada batters he faced on strikeouts. In fact, Mountain Ridge hitters had been unable to get the ball out of the infield in their first four innings at the plate.
The only blemish were three walks issued by Lizarraga. He walked Thomas Moore with one out in the top of the fifth inning but Park View promptly turned a double play to clear the basepaths and preserve Lizarraga’s budding no-hitter.
Lizarraga entered the top of the sixth inning having thrown 66 pitches. The Little League maximum for one game is 85 and he needed to bear down to minimize his pitches in order to complete the game.
That was complicated somewhat.
The sixth inning always seems to be difficult to complete for any team at any level while sensing victory to be in its grasp.
Chants of “We’ve got three outs to make it happen!” reverberated throughout the Nevada dugout.
The Nevadans got a glimmer of hope when Hunter Kublick broke up Lizarraga’s no-hit bid by deposting a ball into short right center field — the farthest ball hit all game by Mountain Ridge.
Rylan Evans, the next batter, pumped a ball even deeper but it was corraled short of the warning track for the first out of the inning.
Lizarraga then bore down and struck out the next batter, Justin Scioli, for the second out of the inning. But up next strode Garrett Cutting, the hero of Nevada’s elimination game victory over Hawaii the previous day. Cutting homered, drove in two runs and limited Hawaii to one hit while striking out 11 batters.
He represented the go-ahead and potential winning run at the plate.
But Lizarraga, who had retired Cutting in two prior at-bats on a strikeout and pop up, went right after the Mountain Ridge star player.
Lizarraga got a 1-2 count on Cutting before Cutting swung and apparently missed for the third strike. But the ball bounded away from the plate, necessitating a throw to first base to complete the out.
When Park View executed the play for the apparent final out of the game, players began celebrating with the traditional dog-pile. But a review was requested, feeling that Cutting had foul-tipped the ball. If the request was upheld, Cutting would return to the plate with another chance to possibly deliver a game-tying or even game-winning hit.
But the original call was confirmed and Park View players had the unusual opportunity to celebrate a championship-clinching victory twice in the same inning.
The Park View manager felt he had the right man on the mound to enable the team to punch its plane ticket to the Little League World Series.
“I tip my hat to their pitcher because he did a great job of keeping us off-balance,” the elder Camarillo said. “But at the end of the day, we knew we had our guy, He worked magic.”
Lizarraga was obviously elated by the outcome of the championship game.
“It feels awesome,” he explained. “Since the start of all-stars, we knew we a strong team, and we knew there was a lot of tough teams out there, but we knew we had the team that could do it. Our defense is what carried us.”
In a tight pitcher’s duel with so much on the line, there was little room for error.
“It wasn’t easy,” Lizarraga conceded. “(Nevada) was pitching smart and we weren’t hitting. I was pretty excited when we got the lead. I just wanted to shut them down.”
To his credit, the Park View pitcher did not become flustered after his no-hitter was broken up. It only served to increase his focus to put the game on ice. He struck out the final two batters he faced with the game — and a berth in the iconic Little League World Series — on the line.
“I wanted to work my pitches down,” the Park View pitcher explained. “Their lineup was pretty strong. I knew my defense would back me up. They were a good hitting team. I’m really excited we won and are going to Williamsport. We kept it going.”
Nevada ended its all-star tournament run with a 10-2 record. Mountain Ridge had entered Saturday’s championship game having scored 39 runs in eliminating three opposing teams.
Park View’s 2016 team follows in the footsteps of the league’;s 2009 LLWS champion Blue Bombers, and two other teams from California District 42. Eastlake Little League won the U.S. title and finished runner-up to Japan at the 2013 tournament and Sweetwater Valley finished third in the U.S. division last year.
In fact, the current Park View team was cheered on Saturday by four members from Park View’s history-making 2009 team as well as five players from last year’s Sweetwater Valley all-star team.
For now, Park View’s Green Machine continues to take it one game at a time.
“I’m excited,” the Park View skipper explained. “It’s a dream come true. I told our kids we get more games to play, our work is not done. We have a job to finish. We’re going to the East Coast. We want to come home with another banner.”
Extra bases
Ali Camarillo, Soto and Padilla each were credited with hits in the game for Park View. Padilla was credited with the game’s lone RBI.
Ditmar threw 15 first-pitch strikes in his five innings on the mound; Lizarraga threw 13 first-pitch strikes in six innings on the hill.
Ditmar had five strikeouts
