SALINAS – Already holding a 3-0 lead in the third inning of Saturday’s District 9 quarterfinals game, the 9-10 Hollister American All-Star team was pulling away from their cross-town rivals Hollister National in Salinas.
Then, stepping to the plate for the second time, third baseman Jacob Casarez put the game out of reach for the Americans. The all-star smacked Kaleb Guttirez’s first pitch of the at-bat’s into deep center field for a 2-run home run – his first Little League homer – and a commanding 5-0 American lead.
In a game between two Hollister-based teams, the Hollister American squad ran away from the National squad to win 9-4 in convincing fashion to advance to the tournament’s semifinals. The National team, meanwhile, were sent down to the elimination bracket.
On Saturday, the American’s jumped on Gutierrez early and never relented. On the mound for American, Donnovan McAbee was untouchable in the game’s first two innings – allowing only one base runner – to build an early 5-0 lead.
After Casaraz’s home run, National responded with two runs in the third with RBI singles by Jacob Burley and Alex Casarez. But National would pull no closer than 5-2.
“I think we came out with lights-out pitching in the first two inning,” American manager Richard McAbee said. “We had a few little hiccups but then we had Jacob Casarez with his first ever Little League home run. That was his first ever and that was huge. We had some clutch hitting.”
American got off to a good start in the first inning when shortstop Kenny Moore hit a leadoff double that drifted over National’s right fielder Andrew Tobias’ head.
With McAbee at the plate, Moore scored on a wild pitch to give American’s an early 1-0 lead. The American team added two more runs in the second inning on a 2-RBI triple by Moore.
This time his line dive sailed over Alex Casarez’s head in center field with two runners on.
The National team in the bottom of the third eventually responded, but it was too late.
“I feel bad for my kids because I wish they played a little bit better,” National manager Mitch Burley said.
American, though, weren’t finished.
Behind four singles by Larry Martinez, McAbee, Caden Bolding and John Correa and a Casarez double, the Americans struck for four runs in the sixth inning to pull away 9-2.
“It was good to see them (play) when it was 5-2 and they got up and got a couple more (runs),” Richard McAbee said. “They got down on themselves a bit. But that’s been the most competition that we’ve had.”
National pulled closer with three runs in the final inning – all scoring with two outs. Woods, Tobias and Burley each added an RBI in the final frame to give the Nationals some momentum heading in to the elimination bracket.
“We played hard and in the end they (the American team) were scared, so we made it fun for us,” Mitch Burley said. “So going into (the next game) it will relax us. I told them before the last inning, I don’t know if we are going to win but we are going to score in this last inning. Our kids had a lot of fun there and hopefully we can continue to do that.”
The game, though, was difficult to play for both teams because of the familiarly between each other, Burley said.
“It really isn’t as much fun as you like because every single kid over there I’ve coached and I know,” he said, “so it makes it a little bit hard.”
After the loss, the National team ended the weekend with 12-2 win over North County.
Hollister played Soledad on Monday in Salinas. Look online for results.
The American squad will play Continental at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in Salinas’ Ferrasci Park.
11/12 All-Stars
Hoping to stay alive in the elimination bracket of the 11-12 District 9 tournament, the Hollister National team ended the season of the Hollister American squad with a 14-3 victory in Prunedale on Saturday.
American, though, jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, forcing National ace Tyler Triano to throw more than 30 pitches in the first inning.
American’s Marco Gaitan – who finished 3-for-3 – and Marcos Flores opened the game with back-to-back hits and two runs scored.
And that was all the offense American could establish in the loss.
National got on the board in the bottom of the second inning with a five-run inning to take the lead.
The National’s Isaiah Bueno finished the game going 3-for-4 with three singles. Ryan Jameson added a solo home run and Nick Christian finished 2-for-3 with a double and four RBIs.
The game ended, though, in the bottom of the fifth inning when Ryan Quinby hit a walk-off grand slam to extend the National’s lead to 14-3.
National starter Triano threw five innings and struck out six. Christian closed the game in the fifth inning.
The American’s Andue Valles started the game and allowed two hits and four runs. He struck out three in 1 1-3 innings. Jake Ito, Matt Campo and Sean Nelson came in for relief.
In the final game of the elimination bracket, the Hollister National team will play Ferrasci at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Kammann Park in Salinas. The winner advances to the District 9 championship game Saturday.
10-11 All Stars
After beating Hartnell 5-4 on Saturday, the Hollister National team will play the winner of Monday’s Hollister American and Hartnell game.
The National team clinched a berth in the championship game with a come-from-behind walk-off victory over Hartnell.
After opening the game with three runs in the first inning, The National team fell behind entering the final inning.
With three-consecutive hits by Casey Matsui, Dawson Biersdorff and Joseph Nino, the National team escaped with a 5-4 victory.
“Again, it was a team effort,” Blair Biersdorff said.
Brady Miguel pitched all six innings for the team and allowed only four runs – three of which came off a second-inning 3-run home run.
The Hollister American team stayed alive with an extra-inning 5-4 victory over Gonzales on Friday.
David Talavera started for the American team and pitched well but allowed a second-inning grand slam to fall behind 4-0.
American, though, added runs in each inning to pull even at 4-4 in the sixth inning. Tory Rodriguez pitched the final two innings to limit Gonzales. The American team won in the seventh inning on a Gonazales throwing error.
The American team won again Saturday with a 6-4 win over Ferrasci on Saturday.
In the game, Hollister’s Richard Westphal hit a 3-run home run and Luis Montero hit his second home run of the tournament to lead the offense.
American played Hartnell on Monday in Salinas. Look for results soon.
