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Metro vies for place in finals
District 44 major, minor championship games on Wednesday
By Dick Sparrer
The road to Williamsport starts in San Jose.
Or at least it could.
Because a couple of clubs will slug it out on July 19, 5:30 p.m., at San Jose's Rogers Middle School as they play for the District 44 Little League major division championship.
Winning the district title is the first step for any team hoping to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. And that hope remained alive for four District 44 clubs heading into play last weekend.
Moreland and Santa Clara Homestead were still unbeaten in the winner's bracket heading into action last Saturday, and Cupertino National and Sunnyvale Metro remained alive on the loser's side heading into a game on Saturday. Metro topped National 9-2 in the game to drop the Cupertino club from the field.
The Moreland-Homestead winner would advance to the title game on Wednesday at Rogers, the home of the Moreland Little League (located on Doyble Road between Saratoga Avenue and Lawrence Expressway). The loser was to face the Metro on Monday in a loser's bracket game.
The unbeaten club would have be defeated twice to lose the district title. An "if necessary" game is slated for July 20, 5:30 p.m., on the same field.
Major division
Doug Molseed, Mark Ng-Parish and Ryan Kansaki each blasted home runs in a five-run third-inning rally to lead Moreland to a 6-5 win over Cupertino National and into the winner's bracket final.
Molseed and Kansaki each belted solo homers and Ng-Parish ripped a two-run shot for Moreland. Justin Long added a run-scoring single in the rally.
But it was Michael Fallert who scored the game-winning run for Moreland in the fifth. He singled, took second on a wild pitch, stole third as Kansaki walked. He scored when National threw across the diamond to try to pick off Kansaki.
Jason Triggas tossed three strong innings for Moreland with Ng-Parish, Long and Kansaki each throwing an inning of relief. Kansaki struck out two in the sixth to pick up the win.
Chris Cobb singled and doubled to drive in three runs for Cupertino National. Jason Plank ripped a run-scoring single and Ryan Polk, Brad Drinkwater and Nick Bertolucci each singled. Bryce Drysdale and Nate Radtke each scored runs in the loss.
Moreland shortstop Michael Fallert came through with a key defensive play when he fielded a ground ball and threw to Long at the plate to cut down a National runner trying to score.
Metro dropped a 7-1 nod to Homestead to slip into the loser's bracket. Jonas Krave singled and scored his club's only run in the loss.
But Metro fought back to beat Cupertino National 9-2 a game later. Yasser Clor tossed four strong innings to get the win, striking out eight and allowing just two hits.
Richard McDowell doubled twice and Scott Issak singled and doubled in the win. Jeremy Cunningham and Paul Neven each doubled and Kevin Brahney singled home a pair of runs.
Nick Bertolucci homered and singled in the loss for National.
Sunnyvale Metro whipped Santa Clara Westside 7-1 in its first loser's bracket game. Clor doubled twice for Metro and Richard McDowell was the winning pitcher, striking out 10.
Cupertino National turned back Campbell 5-2 a game earlier. Bertolucci had three hits in the win and Cobb and Plank each doubled. Logan Foos tossed five innings to get the win.
Jeff Coggan singled and doubled to lead Campbell offensively, and D.J. Jackman was stuck with the tough pitching loss despite allowing just six hits and fanning five in five innings of work.
Campbell had beaten Los Altos 8-4 earlier in the week. Brett Helmonds tossed five innings to get the win, fanning six and allowing just four hits.
In other action, Amar Randhawa doubled and singled twice to drive in three runs, but Sunnyvale Serra lost 9-8 to Los Altos. Kurt Dodge had two hits to knock in three runs and Chris Wong added two hits.
Robert Thom singled and homered to drive in three runs and Nick Burton had two hits, but Cupertino American lost 8-7 to Los Altos; Isaac Leatiota and Ignacio Tabarez each doubled, but Sunnyvale National lost a 7-6 heartbreaker to Santa Clara Westside; Michael Domen homered and Leo Haley doubled, but Tri-Cities lost 9-4 to Mountain View; Santa Clara Westside edged Mountain View 5-3; and Mountain View topped Santa Clara Briarwood-El Camino 7-1.
Minor division
The Cupertino National all-stars played their way into the finals of the winner's bracket of the District 44 minor division tournament with a tight
4-3 win over Santa Clara Westside last Wednesday.
Cupertino National was to face Los Altos in the winner's bracket final on Saturday with the winner advancing to the tourney title game on July 19, 5:30 p.m., at the Moreland Little League field.
National had edged Camp-
bell 8-6 a game earlier.
Sunnyvale Southern beat Campbell 10-6 to remain alive in the loser's bracket. Daniel Perry allowed just two hits over three innings to get the mound win. Perry and Scott Straubel each doubled to lead an eight-hit attack for Southern.
Mike Lang had two hits for Campbell and Jeff Sawyer ripped a double. Andrew Formale was stung with the mound loss despite striking out three in two innings of work.
Sunnyvale Southern outslugged Sunnvyale Metro 15-14. Perry was the winning pitcher, and he was also three-for-three with a pair of doubles. Straubel singled, doubled and tripled in the win and Robert Ramer had two doubles. Right fielder Penn Lillie made a catch that was the defensive gem of the night.
Southern lost 11-1 to Los Altos #1 to slip into the loser's bracket.
Campbell beat both Cupertino American (9-5) and Moreland (6-5) before falling to Southern.
Campbell had opened the tournament with an 11-1 win over Los Altos #2. Stephens, Formale and Groo teamed to toss a four-hitter for the win.
Campbell lost 8-6 to Cupertino National a game later to slip into the loser's bracket.
Sunnyvale Serra whipped Los Altos #2 6-4. Mason Sinclair was the winning pitcher, striking out six and allowing just three hits in four innings, and Sean Denny picked up the save with three innings of relief. Sinclair singled and tripled and scored three runs in the win and Denny doubled. Andrew Jiang also had two hits
But Serra lost 5-3 to Mountain View a game later to face elimination. Jiang had two hits in the game and Sinclair and Denny each singled. Elliot Rivera walked twice.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
