The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Sunnyvale teams going strong

By Dick Sparrer

The all-star teams from the Sunnyvale National, Serra and Metro Little Leagues know what they have to do if they have any hopes of the winning the District 44 championship--just win, baby!

The three clubs have no other choice. All three of them remain alive in the district tournament, but all three live in the loser's bracket after losing games last week.

National opened with a tight 3-2 win over Sunnyvale Southern, and Serra edged Santa Clara Homestead 7-6 in the first round. But both clubs lost a game later to slip onto the loser's side.

Metro did it a different way. Metro lost its opener 11-2 to Moreland, but then knocked Sunnyvale Southern out of the tourney with an 8-2 victory.

Jeff Gordon went the distance in the win over Southern, striking out 10 along the way.

It was a pinch-hit grand slam by Nick DeLatorre in the third inning that was the big blow of the game.

Metro led 4-2 heading into the third. Kevin Arba, Freddie Flaxman and Scott Boardman each singled to load the bases, and DeLatorre unloaded them in a hurry with his big home run.

Brandon Christopherson and Brandon Tikalsk each singled and doubled in the win and Arba had two hits.

Southern had taken the early lead in the game with two runs in the first. Eric Bautista and Bryan Silverman each singled, and Brian McGee drove them both home with a double.

Silverman had three hits for Southern in the loss.

Metro had lost 11-2 to Moreland a game earlier. Mike Chiotti ripped a solo homer in the first, and Eddie Morales had two hits for Metro.

National had opened the tourney with the 3-2 win over Southern. Silverman went the distance, but was tagged with the tough loss.

Robert Perry struck out six in two innings of relief to pick up the pitching win. He also came through with a pair of hits.

National won the game in the last of the sixth when Nick Kossob raced home on an infield roller by Daniel Murrell to break a 2-2 tie.

Kossob ripped his third single of the game with one out, then romped to third on a double by Craig Maynard.

Southern had tied the game with two runs in the fifth. Willie Hayes and Silverman scored on a passed ball and wild pitch.

Bautista doubled in the game for Southern.

Moreland knocked National into the loser's bracket with an 11-3 victory.

Troy Tulowitzski struck out seven in three innings of mound work, and he was also three-for-three with a double to lead the offensive attack for National. Bo Caravalho singled and doubled for Sunnyvale.

National had pulled to within 3-2 in the third when Tulowitzski singled home Tyler Duran and Rocky Russell. But Moreland rallied for five in the fourth.

National came back to beat Mountain View 14-4. Brett Bonetti doubled twice to drive in three runs and Russell had two hits to knock in three runs. Perry drilled a triple and Kossob doubled. Ryan Jasinsky was the winning pitcher.

Serra opened with the 7-6 win over Homestead. Kenny Keast singled with two outs in the sixth to drive in Danny Glassanos with the game-winner.

Cameron Cole homered twice and doubled to drive in four runs in the win. Keast had two hits and Danny Glassanos doubled. Brandon Parisi was the winning pitcher in a relief role.

Santa Clara Westside blanked Serra 4-0 to drop the locals into the loser's bracket. Cole and Ryan Philpott had the only hits for Serra.

But Serra fought back with a 5-2 win over Cupertino National. Cole and Philpott again had Serra's only hits, but they bunched them with walks to Keith McLaughlin and Bobby Nakamoto to key a four-run rally in the fifth.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, July 9, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.