Saratoga News

Saratoga wins first Little League district title

Biggest game in league history

By Dick Sparrer

The Saratoga 11-year-old Little League all-stars had to be beaten twice last week to surrender the District 12 tournament championship to Almaden. They weren't.

In fact, they weren't even beaten once.

Saratoga cruised through the tourney unscathed to win the district crown and advance to the sectional tournament this week.

The championship was a significant one for the local club. It marked the first time ever that a Saratoga Little League team has won a District 12 crown. Saratoga won five straight games to clinch the title, including a 9-8 win in seven innings against Almaden in the finals.

In what manager Earl Charles called "the biggest game in the history of the Saratoga Little League," Peter Rutti blasted a drive off the center field fence with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh to give the locals the thrilling win over Almaden.

Tyler Rothenberg and Ben Coggins each singled with one out in the seventh for Saratoga. Adam Sato, who had already homered three times in the tourney, was walked intentionally to load the bases.

The strategy backfired for Almaden. Rutti, who had homered earlier in the game, ripped one off the fence to drive in the tie-breaking run.

Saratoga opened the tourney with a lopsided 13-0 win over Almaden, then beat Los Gatos 9-5, Branham Hills 6-3 and Cambrian 12-10 to move into the finals.

Almaden won five straight after its opening loss to Saratoga to move into the title game. Almaden had to beat Saratoga twice to wrest the title away in the double-elimination tournament, but the locals didn't even allow them one victory.

Rutti and Sato each homered, and Coggins had three hits to help Saratoga jump out to an early lead in the championship game, but Almaden battled from behind to tie it in the top of the sixth.

Saratoga almost ended it in regulation. Chris Charles clubbed a ground-rule double in the home half of the sixth but was left stranded at second, sending the game into extra innings.

Stephen Scordelis left his spot at third base, where he had played brilliantly through the first six frames, to take over as a relief pitcher in the seventh. He held Almaden scoreless, then Saratoga won it in the bottom of the seventh.

Rutti had tossed a shutout, and Sato and Jon Durket each homered in Saratoga's 13-0 win over Almaden to open the tournament.

Rutti was in command on the hill in the second game against Los Gatos, striking out 10 in five-plus innings. But he was forced to leave the game in the sixth when he was struck with a line drive. Durket came on in relief and struck out the last two Los Gatos hitters to help preserve the victory.

Philip Spencer homered for Saratoga in the win. Kyle Stoffers dropped a clutch bunt that sparked a Saratoga rally in the sixth, and Danny Bragonier's bunt helped the locals pick up two runs in the fifth.

Rutti and Durket combined to toss a four-hitter in the 6-3 win over Branham Hills. Spencer and Rothenberg starred defensively behind the hurlers, teaming to turn their second double-play of the tourney.

Durket led the bat attack with three hits, and Rothenberg and Coggins added two hits apiece. Jeff Lyu ripped a triple in the win.

Spencer slapped three doubles, and Coggins and Sato had two hits each in the 12-10 win over Cambrian. Sato blasted a homer in the win.

Offense dominated the game, at least until the sixth inning, when Saratoga came through with some nifty defense to clinch the win. Michael Sabes made a spectacular catch in left field for the second out of the sixth, and Coggins made an outstanding grab in deep center to end the game.

Saratoga finished the tournament with an impressive .397 team batting average and six home runs.

The locals will try to keep their bats alive as they advance to the Section 5 tournament this weekend. Saratoga opens July 25, 9 a.m., against the second place team from District 59 at the American Little League field, located on Monroe behind Valley Fair.

12-Year-Old Division

The home runs were flying out of Baggerly Field in the District 12 major-division tournament being held at the home of the Los Gatos Little League.

But unfortunately for the Quito all-stars, not enough belonged to them.

There were 12 homers in two games last Saturday, but Quito had just one of them and ended up losing a 16-4 nod to Almaden to drop out of the tourney.

David Smith came off the bench to club a homer, but Almaden finished the day with five big flies on the way to the victory. The loss dropped Quito out of the tournament.

Quito eliminated Willow Glen a couple of days earlier with a 3-2 win in eight innings.

Andrew Hoppin came through with a brilliant performance on the mound to lead Quito to the win. He tossed all eight innings, allowing just two hits and striking out 11.

"He pitched a great game," said Randy Frey of the host Los Gatos Little League.

Scott Heller beat out a bunt single in the eighth and moved into scoring position on a passed ball and wild pitch. He scored on a single to right by Danny Sizemore to give Quito the win.

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