The Willow Glen Resident

Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Kicker: Lincoln Glen's Scott Righetti crosses home plate after pounding a home run in a 14-5 win over Branham Hills last week. Lincoln Glen opened District 12's 12-year-old all-star tournament with two wins, and will play in the finals of the winner's bracket July 18, 11:30 a.m., at Los Gatos.

LG off to hot start in tourney

Willow Glen drops a 1-0 heartbreaker

By Dick Sparrer

To say that LG is off to a hot start in the District 12 12-year-old all-star tournament is certainly true, but it's also somewhat misleading.

Sure, LG opened the tournament with back-to-back wins last week, but even that statement has something of a double meaning.

Because LG could stand for Los Gatos or Lincoln Glen in this District 12 event. Both are entrants in the tourney, and both won a pair of games last week to get off to a strong start in the all-star event.

Los Gatos pounded Saratoga 13-5 and then blanked Quito 5-0 to open the tournament with two victories.

And Lincoln Glen started play with a 14-5 win over Branham Hills, then edged Almaden 3-2.

Despite their like performances, Lincoln Glen actually sits in a better position in the tournament though, by virtue of placement in the bracket. The San Jose club will play in the finals of the winner's bracket on July 18, 11:30 a.m., at the Los Gatos Little League field, but Gatos must win another game to get there.

Los Gatos was to face Cambrian on July 14, 5:30 p.m., with the winner moving into the Saturday game against Lincoln Glen.

Scott Righetti tossed Lincoln Glen into the winner's bracket final by firing a four-hitter in the 3-2 win over Almaden last week.

Righetti was touched for a pair of runs in the second, but he settled down to blank Almaden the rest of the way to nail down the victory. The hurler struck out 10 in the game.

Lincoln Glen got a run back in the home half of the second on singles by Randy Lewis, Matt Dorsa and Righetti, then tied it in the fourth when Johnie Reyes walked, took second and third on wild pitches, and scored on a ground out by Anthony Trovato.

Righetti put down Almaden one-two-three in the sixth, then Lincoln Glen won it in the bottom of the frame. Justin Johnson ripped a double and Nick Grande came on as a pinch runner.

After Reyes walked, Taylor Reise hit a sharp ground ball to first base. The first sacker stepped on the bag for the out, then tried to get Reyes at second. His throw soared into left field, and Grande trotted home with the winning run.

Lincoln Glen had opened the tourney with a lopsided 14-5 win over Branham Hills. Reise tossed four innings in relief to pick up the mound win.

Righetti's three-run homer keyed a five-run rally in the second that sparked Lincoln Glen to the win.

Bryan Hewitt singled, doubled and lifted a sacrifice fly in the win, and Dorsa had a double and a sac fly.

Christopher Brown, Kyle Buchannon, Steven Lowrey and Nathan Tom are other members of the Lincoln Glen all-star team. The manager is Dennis Schaffer and his coaches are Mark Reise and Larry Schaffer.

Willow Glen falls

Willow Glen, meanwhile, lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to Cambrian in its only game last week. "It was a great game," said Randy Frey of host Los Gatos.

Chris Hobbs was cruising along throwing a superb game for Willow Glen. But with two out in the fifth, the WG hurler was struck with a line drive up the middle and forced to leave the game.

"He was throwing a gem," said Frey of Hobbs. "And Cambrian is supposed to be the team to beat in the tournament."

Brian Chase, a powerful 11-year-old for Cambrian, blasted the shot up the middle that sidelined Hobbs. The clubs were locked in a scoreless tie at that point.

Willow Glen threatened in the top of the sixth, getting two runners on base with just one out. A passed ball seemed to send the runners to second and third, but the lead runner was called out for a head-first slide (illegal in Little League baseball), and the threat ended when the next hitter struck out.

D.J. Juarez opened the bottom of the sixth with a home run for Cambrian, and Willow Glen lost the 1-0 decision.

Hobbs had the only hit of the game for WG.

Willow Glen was to face American on Monday in an elimination game with the winner meeting Quito on July 16, 5:30 p.m., at Los Gatos.

Members of the Willow Glen all-star team include Hobbs, Trevor Allen, Kyle Costanza, Justin Curry, Gregory Duncan, Ryder Gillen, Justin Jeffrey, Matthew Koltosky, David Krause, Bret Levine, Gary Lovely and Steven Tuttle. The manager is Bob Hobbs and his coach is Jim Copple.

District 12

12-year-old division: Union 6, American 2; Los Gatos 13, Saratoga 5; Lincoln Glen 14, Branham Hills 5; Almaden 7, Union 4; Los Gatos 5, Quito 0; Cambrian 1, Willow Glen 0; Branham Hills 7, Saratoga 2; Lincoln Glen 3, Almaden 2

Games this week

Monday, July 13-- American vs. Willow Glen, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 14-- Los Gatos vs. Cambrian, 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 15-- Branham Hills vs. Union, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 16-- Quito vs. Monday winner, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, July 17-- Tuesday loser vs. Wednesday winner, 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 18-- Almaden vs. Thursday winner, 9 a.m., Lincoln Glen vs. Tuesday winner, 11:30 a.m.

(Elimination games will be played on Monday and Tuesday, July 20 and 21, with the championship game scheduled for July 22 and an if-necessary game scheduled for July 23. All games are played at the home of the Los Gatos Little League at Baggerly Field in Blossom Hill Park.)

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