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Sunnyvale National 'stars wear crowns
By Dick Sparrer
It was a matter of respect.
Esteban Carbajal had already doubled for the Sunnyvale National all-stars in the District 44 senior-division championship against Los Altos at Cupertino High School.
Still, Los Altos chose to walk Mike Mattman in the sixth inning to set up the force play, and pitch to Carbajal.
It was not a good choice.
Carbajal foiled the Los Altos strategy by ripping a run-scoring double that helped Sunnyvale National clinch a 10-7 victory and the district championship.
With the win, Sunnyvale National advanced to the Section 5 tournament being hosted by District 44 at Sunnyvale Middle School.
The clubs were locked in a 7-7 tie in the district title game when Los Altos scored in the top half of the fifth, but National broke the tie in the bottom of the inning when a run scored on a passed ball.
Sunnyvale added to its lead in the sixth when B.J. Klein knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly.
Los Altos then chose to walk Mattman, not a bad decision considering the Sunnyvale slugger already had three hits in the game. But the decision backfired on LA when Carbajal doubled home a run to make it 10-7.
And that stood up for the National win.
Los Altos had actually scored first in the game on a solo homer by Thomas Roux, a line drive to straight away center. But Sunnyvale's Javier Heredia quickly tied the game 1-1 with a towering home run to left field in the home half of the first.
Los Altos rallied for three in the second, but National answered with four in the bottom of the frame. Troy Tulowitzki's two-run single was the big hit in the rally.
Sunnvyale picked up two in the third, but Los Altos tied it with two in the fourth and one in the fifth, only to fall to National's late rallies.
Carbajal doubled twice and singled, scoring two runs and knocking in another, and Heredia homered and singled twice, also scoring two and knocking in one.
Mattman had three hits and scored three runs, and he also was the winning pitcher, giving up just three hits while fanning four in four innings of work.
Juniors win title
It was smooth sailing for the Sunnyvale National all-stars through the first three rounds of the District 44 junior tournament.
But after cruising to victories in the first three games of the tourney, National ran into a little rough water in the championship round.
National dropped an 8-5 decision to Los Altos that knocked the Sunnyvale crew from the unbeaten ranks. But since that was Sunnyvale National's first loss, and Los Altos had already lost earlier in the tournament, the clubs had to return to the same diamond a night later to play one game for the district junior division (ages 13-14) championship.
They did, and Sunnyvale National won it with ease, 11-1.
The clubs locked up in the title game at Miller Junior High School in San Jose, the home of the Cupertino American Little League. And Sunnyvale National wasted little time.
Sunnyvale rallied for two runs in the first and one each in the second and third to open up an early 4-0 lead, then put the game away with a seven-run rally in the seventh.
Daniel Morrell went the distance on the hill to toss a five-hitter to lead Sunnyvale to the all-important victory. Morrell struck out four in the win.
Bo Caravalho led the Sunnyvale bat attack with two doubles to drive in three runs. Donny Johnson also drove home a couple of runs in the win and Craig Maynard singled and knocked in three runs.
Sunnyvale jumped on Los Altos quickly for two runs in the first. Vincent Gutierrez singled and Caravalho reached on an error. Brett Bonetti walked to load the bases before Maynard plated two runs with a single.
National added a run in the third, then made it 4-0 in the third when Caravalho doubled and later scored on a bunt single by Tyler Duran.
Sunnyvale broke the game wide open with the seven-run seventh, sparked by doubles by Caravalho and Johnson.
A game earlier, things hadn't gone quite as well for Sunnyvale National. The locals had opened with three straight wins, but then lost 8-5 to Los Altos to force the "if necessary" game.
By winning the title, Sunnyvale National advances to the Section 5 tournament hosted by Cambrian Park at Ida Price Middle School in San Jose.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
