Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Los Gatos all-star Matt Martini helped his club to a pair of victories in the District 12 tournament last week. Gatos opened the tourney with a 13-5 win over Saratoga, then blanked Quito 5-0.

LG off to hot start in tourney

Los Gatos opens with two wins

By Dick Sparrer

To say that LG is off to a hot start in the District 12 12-year-old all-star tournament is certainly true, but it's also somewhat misleading.

Sure, LG opened the tournament with back-to-back wins last week, but even that statement has something of a double meaning.

Because LG could stand for Los Gatos or Lincoln Glen in this District 12 event. Both are entrants in the tourney, and both won a pair of games last week to get off to a strong start in the all-star event. Los Gatos pounded Saratoga 13-5 and then blanked Quito 5-0 to open the tournament with two victories.

And Lincoln Glen started play with a 14-5 win over Branham Hills, then edged Almaden 3-2.

Despite their like performances, Lincoln Glen actually sits in a better position in the tournament though, by virtue of placement in the bracket. The San Jose club will play in the finals of the winner's bracket on July 18, 11:30 a.m., at the Los Gatos Little League field, but Gatos must win another game to get there.

Los Gatos was to face Cambrian on July 14, 5:30 p.m., with the winner moving into the Saturday game against Lincoln Glen.

Jason Livingstone and David Holtzman teamed to toss Gatos to the 5-0 win over Quito last Friday. Livingstone went the first five innings for Los Gatos and Holtzman came on in the sixth to put down the side in order.

"He pitched just a fabulous game," said Los Gatos manager Randy Frey of Livingstone. "They never got a runner past first."

They didn't even get too many runners that far. Livingstone gave up just a pair of hits and walked none while striking out eight.

Holtzman fanned two of the three hitters he faced in the sixth. But as good as the Gatos pitching was, Quito was equal to the task, at least through three innings.

Quito's Danny Sizemore, the nephew of Oak Grove football coach Ed Buller, gave up a walk with one out in the first, but that was the only baserunner he would allow through the first three innings.

Gatos, though, picked up two runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to claim the 5-0 win.

Holtzman raced all the way to second on an error in the fourth, then took third on Livingstone's ground ball. Michael Robards ripped a double to the fence in left-center to drive home Holtzman with the game's first run, then scored himself on a single by Corey Graham.

Los Gatos put the game away with three more runs in the fifth. Matt Martini beat out a bunt single, then raced all the way to third when the throw went down the right field line. Martini scored when pinch hitter Chris Danser reached on an error.

Danny Politi forced Danser at second before J.P. Grist walked. The two moved to second and third on a passed ball, then both scored on a single to left by Holtzman.

Livingstone struck out the side in the fifth, then Holtzman struck out two of three in the sixth to clinch the win.

Russell Laubach singled in the sixth for the only other Los Gatos hit of the night.

Singles by Sizemore and Scott Elliott were the only hits Quito could muster in the game.

Quito will now take on the winner of Monday's American-Willow Glen game on July 16, 5:30 p.m., at Los Gatos. The winner of that game moves on to a 9 a.m. clash on Saturday with Almaden, and the loser faces elimination from the tourney.

LG wins opener

Gatos opened the tourney with the lopsided 13-5 win over Saratoga, and it was en eight-run rally in the second that sparked the locals to the victory.

Los Gatos jumped out to a first-inning lead when Holtzman walked, Livingstone walked and both scored on a two-run single by Robards.

Saratoga got one back in the home half of the frame on a solo homer by John Anderson. Graham had struck out the first two batters he faced and took Anderson to a two-strike count before giving up the homer. But Los Gatos broke things open with the eight runs in the second.

Chab Rabello, Martini and Wes Piper each walked to load the bases and Politi and Grist each walked to force home runs.

Holtzman singled home a pair and Livingstone drove in a run with a ground out. Robards, Rabello and Piper followed with consecutive run-scoring singles to close out the rally.

But there was no quit in this Saratoga bunch. Stephen Azzi led off the Saratoga second with a homer to get a run back. Paul Sprague singled before Mark Almassy and Joel Rottman each walked to load the bases. After a couple of strikeouts, Jay New ripped a two-run double to trim the Gatos lead to 10-4.

Gatos fought back with two more in the third, though, on singles by Livingstone, Graham and Rabello.

Almassy slapped a run-scoring single in the home half of the third to make the score 12-5, but Gatos got the run back in the fourth when Danser walked, Grist singled and Holtzman lifted a sacrifice fly to center field.

Holtzman, Robards and Rabello each had two hits and three runs-batted-in, and Grist, Piper, Politi, Livingstone and Graham all had singles.

Graham went four innings to get the pitching win, giving up six hits and five walks while striking out eight. Grist and Livingstone each tossed a perfect inning, fanning two apiece.

Nick Perrone, Marc Helleboid and Tyler Burke are other members of the Gatos team.

District 12

12-year-old division: Union 6, American 2; Los Gatos 13, Saratoga 5; Lincoln Glen 14, Branham Hills 5; Almaden 7, Union 4; Los Gatos 5, Quito 0; Cambrian 1, Willow Glen 0; Branham Hills 7, Saratoga 2; Lincoln Glen 3, Almaden 2.

Games this week

Monday, July 13-- American vs. Willow Glen, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 14-- Los Gatos vs. Cambrian, 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 15-- Branham Hills vs. Union, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 16-- Quito vs. Monday winner, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, July 17-- Tuesday loser vs. Wednesday winner, 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 18-- Almaden vs. Thursday winner, 9 a.m., Lincoln Glen vs. Tuesday winner, 11:30 a.m.

(Elimination games will be played on Monday and Tuesday, July 20 and 21, with the championship game scheduled for July 22 and an if-necessary game scheduled for July 23. All games are played at the home of the Los Gatos Little League at Baggerly Field in Blossom Hill Park.)

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