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Willow Glen Post 318 wins American Legion title
By Dick Sparrer
Sean Farrell scattered five hits over eight innings, and Shishir Ghia drove in the tie-breaking run with a clutch sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth to lead the Willow Glen Post 318 baseball team to a thrilling 3-2 win over Half Moon Bay on Friday.
The win helped Willow Glen clinch sole ownership of first place in the American Legion "B" division. The club, made up mostly of players from Pioneer High School, wrapped up an 8-1 league record to claim the title.
The clubs were locked in a 2-2 tie through seven innings before Willow Glen broke the deadlock with a run in the top of the eighth.
Landers Niven, who had already singled twice in the game, reached on an error and raced to third on a one-out double by Brian Gilbert. Ghia followed with a liner to left-center to drive in Niven with what would prove the winning run.
Farrell struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth to nail down the win. The hard-throwing righthander tossed a five-hitter, striking out 11 and walking just one.
The locals fell behind 1-0 in the first, but battled from behind with a crucial two-run, two-out rally in the third. Niven blistered a hit to right field and Kevin Sparrer followed with a single. Gilbert ripped a single to right to drive in Niven, and Sparrer scored all the way from first when the ball got through the right fielder.
Niven and Gilbert each had two hits, and Sparrer and Kevin Mack singled.
Brian Roy, Sean Hallihan, Matt Palacios, Samir Ghia, Mike Nakamura, Brian Davis, Anthony Jimenez and Thomas Ash are other members of the Willow Glen Post 318 team that advanced to the American Legion "B" division district tournament now being played at Sequoia High School in Redwood City.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
