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Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
A Winning Moment: Campbell first sacker Daniel Farias grabs the throw as Matthew Whitehill of Cupertino National runs through the bag. The Campbell 9-10 all-stars managed to pull out a 12-9 win over National in this key game.
Campbell all-stars nail come-from-behind wins
By Dick Sparrer
Things didn't look good for the Campbell Little League.The major division all-stars were playing at home on July 2, and they were trailing 4-0 after three innings against Sunnyvale Serra.
And the 9-10 age division all-stars were just a short fungo away on another Campbell diamond, and they were losing 9-1 to Cupertino National heading into the last of the fourth.
But the Campbell clubs were not about to disappoint the hometown fans. Both teams battled from behind for thrilling victories to keep going strong in the winner's brackets of the district tournaments.
Major division
Campbell rallied for seven runs in the last of the fourth, then hung on to pull out a 7-6 win over Sunnyvale Serra.
Campbell's Kyle Belshaw had flipped a no-hitter in a 3-0 win over Sunnyvale National a game earlier, but this time it was Campbell getting no hit, at least over the first three innings. In fact, Serra hurler Tim Vanderet was perfect for two and two-thirds innings before Nick Gregorio worked him for a walk in the third.
The locals unloaded for seven hits and seven runs in the fourth, though, and made that stand up for the win.
Sterling Petersen dropped a drag bunt for a single to open the inning. An out later, Andrew Benton ripped a two-run homer to left.
Belshaw reached on an error and Jimmy Cramer and Devin Huff each walked to load the bases. Chuck Mortenson singled home a run to cut the lead to 4-3, but Phil Staff was robbed of extra bases when his line drive was hauled in by the center fielder.
But four straight hits by Michael Picard, Petersen, Steve Brady and Benton plated four more runs to put Campbell up 7-4.
Serra picked up single runs in the fifth and sixth, but Campbell held on for the win.
It wasn't easy though. Serra loaded the bases in the sixth before Peterson, on in relief of Michael Picard, struck out Vanderet, who had homered just the inning before. A towering shot off the bat of the next hitter appeared headed for a grand slam, but it hit two-feet below the top of the fence. One run scored, but left fielder Jimmy Cramer cut down the next runner at the plate to keep Campbell in front.
Peterson struck out the next hitter to nail down the save and clinch the win for the locals.
Brady, Picard and Peterson combined to toss a seven-hitter in the win. Brady struck out five in two and a third innings, and Picard fanned five in two and two-thirds as he picked up the win.
Peterson and Benton had two hits apiece for Campbell, and all of them came in that fourth-inning rally.
Benton blasted another home run and Belshaw was the winning pitcher in Campbell's 5-2 victory over Sunnyvale Southern last weekend.
With the win, Campbell will now meet Los Altos on July 12, 5:30 p.m., at Campbell in the finals of the tournament's winner's bracket. The winner will play for the District 44 championship on July 17, and the loser will drop into the elimination bracket for a game on July 15.
Nine-Ten age division
Campbell was held to just two hits in a tough 5-1 loss to Los Altos, dropping the locals into the loser's bracket of the District 44 tournament.
Campbell will be back in action on July 12, 5:30 p.m., at the Santa Clara Homestead field in an elimination game.
Luke Simons struck out four in three innings of work and the defense turned a double play behind him, but Los Altos rallied for two runs in the first and three in the second to clinch the win.
Campbell had outslugged Cupertino National 12-9 a game earlier to stay alive in the winner's bracket.
James Weimer singled, doubled and tripled to lead an 11-hit attack for Campbell. Daniel Farias singled and doubled in the win and Cannon Bernarding and Patrick Moniz added two hits apiece. Moniz was also the winning pitcher, giving up just three hits and striking out two over three innings.
Campbell trailed 9-1 heading into the last of the fourth, but Weimer's bases-loaded triple cleared the bags and sparked a seven-run rally.
Campbell came back with four runs in the fifth inning to clinch the win. Jason Brady's sacrifice fly drove in the go-ahead run.
Abe Matsui was 3-for-3 and Bernarding was 2-for-2 for Campbell in an 8-5 win over Santa Clara Westside to open the tournament. Brady and Chi Ononiwu each doubled in the game.
Brady and Simons tossed three innings apiece and struck out four each in the win.
Eleven-year-olds
James McCririe and Jeffery Sawery ripped three hits apiece and Jordan Groo fired a nine-hitter to lead Campbell to a 12-6 win over Moreland in the 11-year-old tournament.
Sawery knocked in two runs for Campbell in the win and Groo struck out eight in the game.
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Campbell, California
