The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

National wins district title

Perry, Tulowitzki toss Sunnyvale to key victories

By Dick Sparrer

Moreland knocked the Sunnyvale National Little League major division all-stars into the losers' bracket of the District 44 tournament back on the last day of June.

Well, National returned the favor last week...and then some!

Sunnyvale National climbed out of the losers' side of the tourney to get a rematch with Moreland. And not only did National win, but the local boys won two straight to win the district championship and advance to the Section 5 tournament in Campbell.

Robert Perry tossed a four-hit shutout, striking out 10 along the way, to lead the National 'stars to a 6-0 win over Moreland in the tourney title game.

Sunnyvale jumped out to a quick lead with a six-run rally in the first, and that proved more than enough for Perry to nail down the win. Brett Bonetti's double capped the six-run first.

Perry had two hits in the win, and Ryan Jasinsky, Rockey Russell and Dan Murrell each singled for Sunnyvale.

National had set up the final game with a 4-2 win over Moreland a game earlier. Troy Tulowitzki went the distance to flip a four-hitter for the win. He struck out 12 for Sunnyvale.

It was a big inning that proved the difference in this one, too. Moreland had scored two runs in the top of the fourth, but Sunnyvale answered with four in the bottom of the frame. Singles by Jasinsky and Russell keyed the rally. They were also the only hits Sunnyvale could manage in the game.

Sunnyvale National fought its way out of the losers' bracket with a tight 3-1 win over Santa Clara Westside. Perry tossed a five-hitter for the win, striking out 11 in the process.

Murrell had two hits for National, including a clutch bases-loaded single in the second that drove in two runs.

Nicky Kossob, Bo Caravalho, Bonetti, Jasinsky and Vince Gutierrez also had hits for the winners.

A game earlier, Perry ripped a pair of homers, and Tulowitzki was four-for-four in Sunnyvale's 9-2 win over Campbell. Tulowitzki and Gutierrez each doubled in the win.

Tulowitzki fired a no-hitter and struck out 10 in a 5-0 win over Los Altos. Perry had two hits for National in the win.

9-10 division

Sunnyvale Metro appeared headed to the finals of the losers' bracket in the minor division tournament for nine- to 10-year-olds. But Metro was stuck with a forfeit against Tri-Cities and fell out of the tournament.

Metro had beaten Los Altos Hills 1-0 in a thriller, then appeared to have beaten Tri-Cities 2-1. But tournament officials ruled that since Metro did not allow all of its substitutes a turn at bat, it had to forfeit the game.

Chris Knopf was three-for-three and Brian Fracchia was the winning pitcher for Metro in the tight 1-0 win over Los Altos Hills.

The clubs were locked up in a scoreless tie through five innings before Metro finally broke through with a run in the bottom of the sixth.

Knopf led off the inning with a single, but was forced second on Larry Witkovski's infield roller. Wikovski took second on a passed ball, then scored the game's only run when Joey Story bombed a double over the center fielder's head.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, July 23, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.