They saw plenty of rockets being launched at Santa Clara's Machado Park on July 1. Unfortunately the rockets were launched by the booming bats of Campbell's all-star team during an elimination game of the District 44 tournament.

Coming out swinging, Campbell batters sent baseballs flying all over the Briarwood Little League yard. There were three home run blasts, a shot that bounced over the fence for a ground-rule double and 11 very loud singles. In all, the 15 hits led to a 12-0 Campbell win.

"You saw a great batting exhibition by Campbell," said Dan Tong, a Cupertino National coach, after his team was ousted from the 14-team, double-elimination tournament.

Cupertino National managed just three hits against Campbell, singles by Nick Tong and Leo Matsuda and a bunt single by Jarrod Beiser. National loaded the bases in the fourth with one out, but couldn't score.

Second baseman Vincent Menon made two fine catches running away from the infield to end rallies against Campbell. Pitcher Kevin Wilson made a nice fielding play in the second, backhanding a ball between the mound and third base, then firing a throw to catcher Adi Ravikumar for a force out.

For Cupertino National, which also suffered a 4-3, eight-inning loss to Briarwood in the first round, the fireworks occurred in wins over Santa Clara Homestead and Sunnyvale Metro.

CN used a three-run homer from Nick Tong and a solo shot from Wilson to beat Santa Clara Homestead 4-1. Tong also crushed a three-run homer in the 10-4 win over Metro.

In CN's opener, Tong pitched five scoreless innings before Briarwood tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Menon pitched a scoreless seventh, before Trevor Heppner's RBI single in the eighth gave Briarwood the game-winner.

Steven Quinn led the Cupertino National offense with three RBIs. Wilson had two hits and scored two runs.

Good defensive plays against Homestead were turned in by Kranti Peddada, Kalon Zandbergs and Leo Matsuda.

Tong, who went the distance against Metro, also had two hits in the game. Zac Carlsen paced the CN offense with three hits. Kalon Zandbergs had two hits, including an RBI double. Christian Fatoohi sparked the defense with a good catch in center field.

Other players who helped Cupertino National to a 2-2 record were Brian Glazebrook, Steven Quinn and Tyler Young. Korey O'Connell also was named to the CN stars, but he was unable to participate. The manager was Bill Wilson. Coaches were Bruce Beiser and Dan Tong.

Cupertino American won its first two games, topping Moreland 6-4 and Mountain View 9-7, before losing 10-4 to Briarwood.

Cupertino American fell behind Moreland 3-1 in the first inning, but put together a five-run second and held on for the win. Pitcher Eric Queen shut out Moreland during the four middle innings. Meanwhile, Nathaniel Recine, Marcus Lefton and Tyler Anthony had two hits apiece. Derek DeFrank, Mark Fratus, Recine and Anthony all banged out doubles for the winners.

Robert Prada and Anthony both rapped solo homers, but Briarwood's six-run third inning was too much for CA to overcome in a winners bracket semifinal on June 30. Fratus doubled twice and scored twice, hustling home Lefton's single in the third and DeFrank's sacrifice fly in the fifth.

Other CA all-stars are Ben Meunier, Jamie Wallis, Corey Snodgrass, Evan Vuckovic and Ryan Patton.

Manager Jeff Osorio planned on using Paul Kamradt as his starting pitcher in Serra's opener against Tri-Cities. However, he didn't plan on Kamradt falling off of his skateboard and suffering a sprained wrist.

"He showed up at the All-Star Day (two days before the first game) saying he fell off a skateboard, and holding his wrist," Osorio recalled. "He couldn't pitch and just played one inning in the first game."

Not to worry. Andrew Schwartz fired a five-inning, 12-0 shutout against Tri-Cities on June 26. Two days later, Patrick Crowley shared the mound duties with A.J. Puziol in a 7-4 triumph over Sunnyvale Metro.

Kamradt was ready to go against a tough Santa Clara Westside team in a winners bracket semifinal on June 30. He responded with a six-inning shutout, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out seven.

Serra managed just two hits off Westside pitcher Colton Goularte, but one of the hits figured in the game's lone run.

Schwartz doubled in the fourth, advanced to third when Puziol smacked a hard ground ball to first. Trying to get Schwartz at third, the first baseman threw the ball away and Schwartz hurried home.

Kamradt issued his only walk to Westside's first batter in the bottom of the sixth. A sacrifice bunt and a ground out moved the runner to third, but Kamradt struck out the next batter to end the game.

A key play occurred in the first inning when Puziol, playing catcher, grabbed a popped up bunt and threw to first before the runner could return to the bag—double play!

Second baseman Danny Todd also made three "great plays," Osorio said. Serra did not commit an error in its first three games.

Schwartz and Puziol both homered against Tri-Cities. Puziol had seven hits in the three games, including three against Metro. Puziol's third hit drove in James Osorio with the decisive run in the last of the fifth. Kamradt followed with a two-run homer.

Metro had tied the game 4-4 on Sho Kitamura's two-run single in the fourth. Kitamura and teammate Nick Marcellini had two hits apiece.

Other Serra all-stars are Joe Crosariol, Sean Lawson, Justin Matsuura, Devin Ramsour, Nick Utley and Joey Whitworth. Jeff Osorio is aided by coaches Dave Puziol and Paul Lawson.