Willow Glen Resident

Sports

LGLL's Lettermen open TOC with victory

By Kevin Sparrer

End-of-the-year tournaments wouldn't be anything if they weren't challenging, and the Lincoln Glen Lettermen learned firsthand last weekend that you have to fight hard for every run.

The Lettermen, major division champions in the Lincoln Glen Little League this spring, won their first round game in the District 12 Tournament of Champions on June 16, topping the Cambrian Park Mets 13-12. But the win did not come without a fight.

Lincoln Glen took an early lead, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first and another three in the bottom of the second, and Justin Bruce did his job on the mound by holding the Mets scoreless.

Cambrian battled back, though, scoring three in the top of the third and another four in the top of the fourth, to take the lead. Brandon Aguilera threw 2 ¹/3 innings and Connor Ridly came on in relief, shutting down Lincoln Glen in the third and fourth.

Cambrian extended its lead in the top of the fifth with another three runs to go up 10-5, but in the bottom half of the fifth Lincoln Glen fought back to tie the game 10-10.

With one out in the sixth, the Mets' Austin Vierra beat out a ground ball to short and then went to second when Landon Wayker dropped down a bunt single. With two on and only one out, Michael Urikami laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position for Justin Alins, who dropped a flare in right field to score both Vierra and Wayker. But Alins was caught at second trying to extend his single into a double to end the inning.

Leading 12-10 entering the bottom of the sixth, Cambrian had hopes for a win that were torn away when Lincoln Glen got going. Jimmy Riley led off the inning with a line drive single up the middle, then went to third when David Gutierrez blasted a double over the right fielder's head. With two on an nobody out, Calvin Owen hit a flare to right, scoring Riley and leaving runners at the corners. Owen stole second to put two runners in scoring position for Michael Johnston, who hit a ground ball through the right side to score Gutierrez. With two on and still no outs and the game now tied, Cambrian walked Chad Wickersham intentionally to load the bases before Graham Moore blasted a hit over the center fielder's head for the game winning RBI.

Moore was the hero of the day for Lincoln Glen. He had three hits, scored twice and drove in the game-winning run. Bruce had the biggest hit of the day, blasting an opposite-field home run and a single. Bruce had two RBIs and scored twice. Taylor Meeker had a pair of hits and drove in three; Johnston had two hits, scored once and drove in two; Riley also had two hits and scored once; Gutierrez had a double and scored; Owen had a single, scored twice and drove in two; and Colin Whitney also scored in the win.

For the Mets, it was Alins who led the offense with a double, a single, two runs scored and three RBIs. Douglas Stephens had a single and drove in three, Aguilera had a hit, scored twice and drove in a run, Ridly had a hit and scored twice, Blake Billenger had a single and drove in a run, Brenden Smyth had a hit and scored, Wayker singled and scored and Vierra also had a hit and scored once. Jack Pheffer and Jared York both scored in the loss.

The rest of the Lincoln Glen team includes Trevor Borja, Sean McKenney, Travis Meeker and Ryan Hammet.

Filling out the Cambrian roster is Keith Nero.

Red Sox top Yankees

The Willow Glen Red Sox took a close one from the Los Gatos Yankees, rallying for six runs in the seventh to win 9-3.

Brandon Hernandez was a huge offensive producer for the Sox, ripping a double and a triple and scoring once. Robert Baldwin-Gray added a double and scored twice, Dakota Bramer and Logan Carter each smacked a single and scored twice, Corey Byler singled and scored once, Riley Preston singled and Grant Longmire scored once.

Finishing out the roster for the Red Sox are Zachary Artman, Bret Bigger, Christopher Byrne and Conner Sigman.

For the Yankees, it was Matt Bergandi on the mound for five innings, striking out seven.

Joey Bergandi blasted a big ride for the Yanks; Corey Olivet belted out a single, a double and scored once; and M. Bergandi helped with a double. Steven Varni singled and scored, and Matthew Mingrone added a hit.

The rest of the Yankees are Justin Shapiro, Teault Marcille, Dan DeFever, Marco Silva, Joshua Rubnitz, Grady Duggan and Erik Miller.

Other games

In other tournament games, the Almaden North Braves defeated the Union Giants 9-1; Branham Hills beat San Jose American 7-4; the Almaden South Marlins handled the Saratoga Pirates 14-2; and the Los Gatos Giants edged the Quito Giants 3-1.

Branham Hills was to face Lincoln Glen on June 18, with the winner to face the Almaden South Marlins on June 19.

The Almaden North Braves were to face the Los Gatos National Giants on June 18 with the winner facing Willow Glen on June 19.

The tournament championship game is set for June 20 on the A field at home of the Quito Little League at Rolling Hills Middle School. All games begin at 5:30 p.m.