Despite entering the championship round of the 11-12 District 9 All-Star tournament Saturday with one loss, the Hollister National team took the district’s championship, beating Hartnell twice over the weekend.
It’s the second year in a row a Hollister-based team took home the District 9 championship for the 11-12 age group.
Hollister – needing to win two games to claim the championship – did so with ease over the weekend. In the first game on Saturday, Hollister never trailed leading 8-0 before Hartnell scored its lone run in the fifth inning.
Behind the bat of Tyler Triano, who finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a home run, Hollister jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Nick Christian also added a home run for the National squad, which finished with nine hits.
Despite the dominant start, Hollister only led 3-0 entering the fifth inning. Josh Jennings, though, provided the big hit on a 3-RBI double, opening up the game. Hollister scored five runs in the inning to hold an 8-0 lead. Hartnell scored in the bottom of the inning to pull closer.
Triano started on the mound for Hollister, throwing 5 1-3 innings, allowing four hits and one run. He struck out eight in the victory. Ryan Jameson closed the game in relief for Hollister, striking out the game’s final two batters.
After the victory on Saturday, Hartnell and Hollister played a winner-take all finale Sunday. After a slow start, Hollister beat 9-3 Hartnell to claim the D-9 title from the elimination bracket.
In the game, Hartnell took a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
Hollister responded quickly, though, scoring five runs in the bottom of the second inning to grab the lead.
Lead-off hitter Isaiah Bueno opened the bottom of the first with a single and eventually scored on a Ryan Quinby 2-RBI double. Garret Bourdet and Christian each added a first inning RBI for Hollister in the win.
Gio Giannotta and Triano each hit a home run for Hollister.
On the mound, Christian pitched all six innings and allowed five hits and all three runs. He struck out 10 batters.
With the win, the Hollister National squad advances to the Section 5 tournament in Los Gatos starting at 1 p.m. Saturday.
10-11 All-Stars
The Hollister 10-11 National All-Stars finished the District 9 tournament Saturday with a perfect 4-0 record, winning 17-5 to clinch the championship over Hollister American.
In the five-inning shortened game, American, though, took an early lead with four runs in the first inning. Afterward, National outscored American 17-1.
Dawson Biersdorff lifted the Hollister National offense, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two doubles.
Overall, the offense was a complete team effort, manager Blair Biersdorff said.
“Everybody else put the ball in play and did something good,” he said.
On the American side, Josh Cutler hit a home run and was one of the game’s biggest offensive threats. But it wasn’t enough against National, despite an early lead.
“A lot of these kids have been here before and I think that’s why they responded like they did,” Biersdorff said. “They did a very good job.”
Hollister National opens the Section 5 tournament at 10 a.m. Saturday at Moreland Little League in San Jose.
9-10 All-Stars
For the second time in three games, the Hollister American 9-10 All-Star team defeated the Hollister National team in the District 9 tournament Saturday. This time, though, the victory clinched the district’s championship and a berth in the sectional tournament in Gonazales.
American scored early and often to win 13-1.
American starter Donnovan McAbee was dominant on the mound, throwing 4 1-3 innings and allowing only one run. John Correa pitched the last five outs and allowed no hits or runs.
“The pitching was just great,” McAbee said. “It got us this far and we are going to need more of it to make a deeper run.”
American took an early lead in the first inning as walks started to hurt National pitching.
National pitchers Gabriel Razzo, Joseph Castaneda and Jacob Burley all threw well, but couldn’t limit the American attack.
American’s Kenny Moore grabbed the lead for good in the third inning on his first-career home run.
American pounded out 10 hits in the victory.
Despite the final score it was a tough game for the two Hollister-based squads.
“It’s hard,” American manager Richard McAbee said. “We are close with a lot of the kids over there. It’s always a tough game.”
The American squad advances to the Section 5 tournament in Gonzales at 12 p.m. Sunday.
