Photograph by Sebastian Widman
Quito Little League's Casey Juull dives back safely into first during sixth-inning action against Los Gatos. Quito ended up dropping an 8-0 decision to Gatos, then lost to Almaden to fall out of the District 12 major division tournament.
Thomas, deAngelis in real duel
But Quito falls to Gatos, Almaden to drop out of tournament
By Dick Sparrer
It was a classic pitchers' duel.
One hurler perfect through three innings, the other tossing a no-hitter. And heading into the fifth frame, there was still only one hit in the game.
But this wasn't a classic match-up of the Diamondbacks' Randy Johnson against Kevin Brown of the Dodgers.
No, this was not pitching at its best in a Major League battle ... it was pitching at its best in a major division battle.
Thomas deAngelis of the Quito Little League and Derek Thomas of the Los Gatos Little League locked up in a true pitchers' duel in the winner's bracket final in the District 12 major division tournament. And what a match-up it was.
Los Gatos ended up winning the game 8-0, but the final score belies the classic nature of the duel.
Thomas ended up throwing a masterpiece for Los Gatos. The big left-hander fired a no-hitter for the win, striking out 11 and walking five.
It was deAngelis getting stuck with the heartbreaking loss. The Quito hurler was perfect through the first three innings and took a one-hitter into the fifth. But Gatos rallied for two runs in the fifth, then broke the game open with six in the sixth.
The loss dropped Quito into the loser's bracket of the District 12 tournament. And a tough loss to Almaden just a day later knocked the Quito crew out of the tournament.
But what a tournament it was for the local all-stars. They opened with an 11-1 win over Willow Glen, then beat Saratoga 7-3 to advance to the finals of the winner's bracket.
That's where deAngelis and Thomas locked up their classic duel.
DeAngelis retired the first nine batters he faced in the game on five ground balls, two strikeouts, line out and a fly ball. Matt Perrone singled to open the fourth to break up the perfect game and no-hitter, but deAngelis got the next three hitters on ground outs.
The Quito hurler retired the first two batters he faced in the fifth, but a single by Nate Dreesman and a couple of errors allowed two runs to score.
That would prove more than enough cushion for Thomas to go on to claim the victory, but the Gatos 'stars didn't quit until they had scored six more in the sixth inning, two of them on a home run by Thomas.
Quito had threatened early in the game. Michael Gout walked to open the game and took second on a sacrifice bunt by Joe Dickerson. Gout tagged up and moved to third when deAngelis flew out to right, but Thomas struck out the next hitter he faced to get out of the jam.
Eric Chang got Quito going in the second when he reached on a catcher's interference to took second on a passed ball. But Thomas went on to strike out the side.
Quito got its lead-off hitter on base and into scoring position for a third straight time when Kevin Smith led off the third with a walk, took second on a wild pitch and went to third on a passed ball. But once more Thomas fanned the side to end the threat.
Chang drew a one-out walk in the fourth, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Nick Bacon and took third on a passed ball. But another strikeout ended the frame.
Gatos scored two in the top of the fifth, but Quito threatened to get one back in the bottom of the inning. Matt Hawkins walked to open the inning and Smith bunted him to second. He went to third on a passed ball, but was left stranded there when Thomas struck out the next two hitters.
Quito would get one more baserunner when Casey Juull walked with one out in the sixth, but Thomas struck out the next hitter and the game ended when David Kinder lined out to first.
Ian Smith, Max Crotty, Brian Roby and Josh Davis were other members of the Quito all-star team.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
