The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Metro drops a heartbreaker

By Dick Sparrer

There were only three hits for the Cupertino American Little League major division all-stars when they battled Sunnyvale Metro Little League in the District 44 tournament last week.

Three hits. That's not many, but it was enough for American to pull out a thrilling 4-3 victory and advance in the district tournament.

The Cupertino 'stars put two of their hits together in a two-run rally in the first, then added their third in the fifth inning when they scored two more to nail down the victory.

Sunnyvale had scored two in the fourth to tie it, then broke the tie with a run in the top of the fifth. But American fought back in the bottom of the frame.

Michael Laughlin worked a lead-off walk in the fifth and Conan Tzou followed with his second hit of the game, chasing Laughlin to third. Tzou stole second, then both runners scored when Chris Norton reached on an error.

The one-run lead was all starting pitcher Martin Wan needed to nail down the win. Wan, who scattered 10 Sunnyvale hits in the game, put down Metro in the top of the sixth to wrap up the victory. He struck out nine in the game.

Adam Wegener was the tough loser for Metro. Wegener tossed a three-hitter and struck out five, but the two unearned runs in the fifth proved his undoing.

American stayed alive in the winner's bracket of the tourney with the victory, and Metro slipped into the loser's bracket to face Moreland.

Earlier, Cupertino National had edged Sunnyvale Southern 3-1. National scored single runs in the first, third and fourth to nail down the victory.

Defending District 44 champion Sunnyvale National was eliminated from the tournament when the locals lost a 2-1 heartbreaker to Moreland.

Wes Tranchina's run-scoring single in the bottom of the sixth snapped a 1-1 tie and gave Moreland the win.

Moreland had touched National starter Shawn Church for a run in the third, but Sunnyvale got the run back in the fifth. Ernie Vargas doubled to deep right and raced home on a single by Chris Sedrick to tie the game.

Adam Aragon tripled with one out in the sixth, but the Sunnyvale runner was left stranded at third. Moreland came back with a run in the home half of the sixth to claim the win.

Sunnyvale Serra Little League dropped a tough 2-0 nod to Campbell in major division losers' bracket action.

The clubs were locked in a scoreless tie through five innings before Campbell picked up two runs in the fifth to break the deadlock. Mike Joisa, who tossed a two-hit shutout for Campbell, ripped a solo homer in the fifth.

Joey Reyes blanked Campbell for four innings before giving way to Craig Moberg in the fifth. Moberg was touched for the two runs.

Serra was coming off of a lopsided 7-3 win over Santa Clara Westside. Brandon Parisi went the distance to get the win, tossing a four-hitter and striking out nine along the way.

Parisi helped his own cause with a three-run homer to key a four-run rally in the first. Parisi finished the day with a pair of hits to drive in three runs. Kyle Johnson added two hits and Moberg doubled.

Johnson singled and Moberg walked before Parisi unloaded with his homer in the first. But Serra wasn't finished yet. Boomer Johnson walked, stole second and scored when Adam Myers reached on an error.

Johnson added a run-scoring single in the third, and Troy Beeson singled after Moberg's double in the sixth for another Serra run.

The loss eliminated Westside from the tournament.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, July 22, 1998.
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