Willow Glen Resident

Sports

Almaden teams open with two wins each

By Kevin Sparrer

Daniel Raley blasted only one hit for the Almaden North all-stars last Monday night, but it was a big one.

Raley crushed the game-tying home run for Almaden in a District 12 Little League 10/11-year-old all-star game on June 30 that led to a 14-6 victory over Willow Glen at Saratoga's Congress Springs Park.

Almaden trailed for most of the game until the bottom of the fourth, when Raley led off the inning with a big fly to tie the game 6-6. Sam McDonald smacked a single and went to second on an error by the left fielder. After going to third on a wild pitch, McDonald scored on a single by Kevin Asplund to give Almaden the lead for the first time since the bottom of the first, 7-6.

Almaden went on to score seven runs in the bottom of the fifth. When Willow Glen was unable to mount a comeback, Almaden ran away with a victory.

Asplund was the clutch hitter for Almaden, ripping four hits in four at-bats, including a pair of doubles, and McDonald whacked three hits with one double.

Almaden also had a host of players knock the ball out of the park. Raley, Max Aiken and Curt Calomeni all sent the baseball on long rides.

Scott Clark smacked a double, and Daniel Del Carlo, Brandon Blum, Michael Kelker and Jacob Valverde each knocked singles.

Willow Glen's big inning came in the top of the second, rallying for six runs. Joseph Garcia led off the inning with a ground ball up the middle that he beat out. Garcia was thrown out when Robbie Guidero reached on a fielder's choice. Michael O'Brien and Anthony Alvarez drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Guidero scored when Hayley Halkovic hit a high chopper up the middle that advanced all the runners and kept the bases loaded. Riley Preston walked to score O'Brien before Cody Buchanon walked to score Alvarez.

With only one out and the bases still loaded, Almaden brought in a new pitcher who gave up a double to Thomas Nazarenus that scored both Halkovic and Preston and left Buchanon on third and Nazarenus on second. The next batter struck out for the second out, and Garcia came back up and drove in Buchanon on a ground ball to the shortstop that Garcia beat out for the final run of the inning.

In fact, aside from the top of the second, Willow Glen was allowed only one other hit by Nathan Rooke in the top of the third.

The win was Almaden's second in the tournament after downing Cambrian Park 13-0 on June 28. Clark led the offensive attack, blasting a homer and a double, Blum knocked a double and a single and Calomeni ripped two hits. Del Carlo and Valverde each doubled, Aiken belted a triple and John Zendejas and Raley each added hits.

Josh Florez is also a member of the Almaden team.

For Cambrian, Danny Robero smacked two hits and Evan Andero whacked a single.

Cambrian also fell to Los Gatos American 13-12 on June 27 in eight innings. Andero again led the offense for Cambrian, ripping three hits, including a double. Alex Zapate smashed three hits, Mike Machado roped a triple and a single, Robero knocked two hits, and Eric Canniff and Mike Gaglliaso each hammered singles.

The rest of the Cambrian team includes Marcel Gomez, A.J. Galdino, Jake Pinkerton, Mike Guarino, Mike Martin and Hamden Carroll.

Willow Glen's first game in the tournament was a 14-3 loss to Branham Hills on June 28.

Only Preston, Matthew Piro, John Ahrens and O'Brien had hits in the loss.

For Branham Hills, John Nowell roped a double and a single, while Micheal Lyons smacked a double and Kady Kroening, Kevin Keiser, Robert Morgade and Mathew Hendric each knocked singles.

Branham lost to Saratoga 9-5 on June 26 in its first game of the tournament.

Branham's offensive leader was Nowell, who smacked two hits, but it was Keiser who blasted the ball over the fence. Kroening, Ryan Williams and Lyons each ripped hit.

The remaining members of the Branham Hills team include Justin Scanlan, Connor Arpetcle, Avery Ayeswath, Jason Wallace and Dan Mendoza.

Union bested San Jose American 13-1 on June 30 with Kyle Anderson roping a pair of doubles and a single for Union, while both Chris Norman and Luke Rasmussen cracked doubles. Matthew O'Dowd, Max Werner, Kyle Mora and Hunter Biersdorf each smacked singles in the win.

San Jose American's only run came on a homer by John Helmers.

Union also bested Los Gatos National 11-0 on June 28 with Anderson leading the offense for Union with a double and a triple, while O'Dowd roped a double. Rasussen also smacked two hits, and Norman, Corey Marcum, Werner and Andrew Lamour each whacked singles.

Oscar DeJung, Chris Davis and Kevin Anderson also play for Union.

San Jose American fell in its first game against Almaden South 12-4 on June 28 with Helmers smacking a homer.

Almaden South was able to generate a lot of offense against San Jose American, with six players getting multiple hits. Eric Sargis smacked a pair of doubles and a single; Justin Dunne roped three hits; Ryan Edelman belted a double and a single; Drew Deaton, Daniel Reuter and Scott Klinker smashed two hits each; and Anthony Santamoor ripped a double.

Almaden South also defeated Quito 7-6 on June 26 with Dunne roping a double and two singles, Sargis belted a tripled and a single; Tim Geraghty and Deaton both crushed two hits, and Reuter and Jacob Temullo each knocked a hit in the win.

Brent Easton and Shayan Saalabi also play for Almaden South.

Quito lost a second time on June 28 to Lincoln Glen 10-8.

Lincoln Glen fell in its first game 7-4 against Los Gatos National on June 27.

Pool play continues through July 5, when all 12 teams in the tournament will play their fourth games, and the top two teams from each pool will continue to the playoffs held on July 7 and July 8 at 5:30 p.m. at Saratoga.