Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Los Gatos 10-year-olds split sectional tourney

All-stars lose after bright start

By Dick Sparrer

A brilliant start came to a heartbreaking finish for the Los Gatos Little League 10-year-old all-star team last week.

Los Gatos opened play in the Section 5 tournament with back-to-back wins over Hollister and Campbell, and the locals were just a game away from the tournament finals.

But Gatos suffered a disappointing 2-1 loss in seven innings to Salsipuedes of Watsonville to fall into the tournament's loser's bracket, then lost a heartbreaking 6-5 game to Evergreen of District 59 to fall out of the tournament.

It was an extremely disappointing finish for Los Gatos since the locals had been rolling through their first half dozen games of the post-season.

Los Gatos won four straight games to claim the District 12 championship and earn a place in the Section 5 tournament at Bob Northern Field in Santa Clara, home of District 44's Briarwood Little League.

Gatos opened the sectionals with a solid 9-4 win over Hollister. The LG 10's unloaded for 10 hits and pulled out a thrilling come-from-behind win over the 'Stars from the south.

Hollister scored single runs in the second and third and added two in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead, but Gatos rallied for five in the bottom of the fourth.

Louis Santoro singled and raced home on a double by Forrest Gallien. Kyle Blair, a 9-year-old who joined the club for the tourney, walked before Marty Mullins singled to drive in Gallien. Rusty Wall doubled home Blair and Mullins, and Wall trotted home on a sacrifice fly by David Pavicich.

The rally put Los Gatos up 6-4, but the locals added to that lead with three more in the fifth.

Derek Thomas walked but was forced at second by Justin Schaefer. Santoro belted his second hit of the night before Gallien singled to drive in Schaefer. Blair singled in a run, and the third run of the inning was scored on a ground ball by Mullins.

Schaefer and Mullins tossed the first five innings for Gatos, but Sullivan came on in the sixth to pick up the save.

Gallien singled and doubled in the game, and Santoro had the two hits. Schaefer doubled, and Pavicich singled and ripped the sac fly. Wall, Mullins, Blair and Jake Schonig added singles.

Los Gatos came back to rip Campbell 12-4. Thomas and Sullivan combined to toss a four-hitter in the win. Thomas fanned five and allowed two hits over the first three innings, and Sullivan struck out six and gave up two hits over the last three.

Gatos picked up a quick run in the first when Schonig walked, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Wall.

Schonig started a three-run rally in the third with a bunt single. He stole second and moved to third on a single by Mullins before Pavicich walked to load the bases.

Sullivan walked to force in a run, and Santoro and Thomas followed with run-scoring singles.

Los Gatos picked up four more in the fifth. Wall reached on an error, and Pavicich singled. Sullivan plated a run with a ground out, and Santoro doubled home another. Schafer walked before Blair singled in the third run of the inning. The final run was scored when Schonig reached on an error.

But Gatos wasn't finished yet. Mullins singled and Wall walked to open the sixth. A run was scored when Pavicich reached on an error, and Sullivan doubled home two more. Santoro singled before Thomas drove in the fourth run of the inning with a ground ball.

Santoro doubled and singled twice to lead an 11-hit attack for Los Gatos. Sullivan doubled and drove in four runs, and Mullins had two hits. Pavicich singled, walked twice and reached on an error.

Blair, Thomas, Wall and Schonig each singled for Los Gatos.

But the going got a bit tough for Gatos a game later. Watsonville scored a run in the last of the seventh to pull out a 2-1 victory and send the locals to the loser's side.

A.J. Comeau singled and doubled to lead a six-hit attack for Los Gatos.

Sullivan and thomas combined to toss a four-hitter. Sullivan fanned six over the first four innings, and Thomas struck out four over the last three.

Salsipuedes took advantage of a couple of walks and two singles to score the game winning run in the seventh.

Comeau doubled in the third and raced home on a single by Mullins to give Gatos a 1-0 lead, but Salsipuedes tied it in the home half of the third.

That's how it remained until Salsipuedes won it in the seventh.

Los Gatos outhit the winners 6-4, but the locals left nine runners stranded.

Comeau had the two hits, and Pavicich, Thomas, Santoro and Mullins each singled.

Los Gatos was eliminated a game later by Evergreen.

The clubs were locked in a 3-3 tie after three innings, but Evergreen rallied for a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to lead 6-3. Gatos picked up two in the sixth but came up a run short.

Sullivan singled home a run in the sixth, but Gatos left two runners on base in the top of the sixth.

Evergreen scored in the first to lead 1-0, but Gatos picked up three in the third to go up 3-1. Thomas singled, Comeau reached on an error and Sullivan walked before Mullins ripped a bases-clearing double.

Evergreen tied it with two in the bottom of the third, then went on to take the lead.

Schaefer tossed the first three innings for Los Gatos and Mullins fired the final two, getting tagged with the loss.

Evergreen went on to play Salsipuedes for the Section 5 title, and it was the Watsonville crew coming out on top. Evergreen won the first game 11-0 to force the "if necesssary" game, but Salsipuedes came back to clinch the title with a lopsided 18-6 win over Evergreen in the finals.

Entered in the tourney were Los Gatos (District 12), Campbell (District 44), Evergreen (District 59), Hollister American (District 9) and Salsipuedes (District 39).

[ Back to Contents Page | Los Gatos Weekly-Times Home Page | Archives ]