Nationals to play in Wednesday’s semifinal against either
Soledad or Greenfield; Triple-A’s Mets and Athletics to meet
tonight in TOC quarterfinal round
HOLLISTER
The Hollister Little League Nationals advanced to the semifinals of the District 9 Tournament of Champions with a 21-0 win over Salinas American on Monday in Salinas.
The Nationals, champions of the local National League division, scored five runs in the first inning, one in the second and 15 in the third to win its second straight tournament game and earn a spot in Wednesday’s semifinal against either Soledad or Greenfield.
Wednesday’s semifinal game will be held at 5:30 p.m. at Salinas’ Continental Little League field off Laurel Drive. The winner of that game will play for the District 9 championship on Friday at 5:30 at the same field.
Hollister’s Tommy Hernandez scored three times, Isaiah Caudillo and Frankie Gutierrez each had three hits, and Andrew Breen and Eddie Gutierrez each had two hits and three runs scored as the Nationals dispatched American in a game shortened by the mercy rule.
Pitchers Hernandez, Frankie Gutierrez and Eddie Gutierrez combined to strike out nine batters and allow just one hit over four innings to secure the win for Hollister, which improves to 21-4 on the year.
The Nationals, led by Manager Adam Breen and coaches John Hernandez and Mike Martinez, have outscored its two tournament opponents 32-4.
Monday’s victory followed an 11-4 win for the Nationals, which topped Hartnell of Salinas during last Saturday’s opening round.
After Hernandez held Hartnell scoreless in the bottom of the inning, he and Caudillo walked at the start of the second and scored on a double by Andrew Breen to put Hollister up 4-0. Breen scored on a single by Eddie Gutierrez, bumping the lead to 6-0.
Hartnell scored two runs in the bottom of the third off reliever Jacob Trujillo, but the Nationals answered in the top of the fourth when Breen singled, Frankie Gutierrez doubled to knock in Breen, then Eddie Gutierrez singled to knock in Hollister’s eighth run.
Trujillo shut down Hartnell in the bottom of the fourth and received more of a cushion in the fifth when Caudillo singled and was sent home by a Breen single. Frankie Gutierrez collected his third hit of the day next, knocking in Breen and putting Hollister up 11-2.
Hartnell scored two more in the bottom of the fifth and held Hollister scoreless in the top of the sixth, but Breen came in to close the door in the bottom of the inning to secure the victory.
Meanwhile, the American League major division Yankees lost its opening round contest to Soledad by a 3-1 margin, and were eliminated for the Tournament of Champions.
At the Triple-A level, both the Athletics and Mets, representing Hollister American and Hollister National, respectively, remain alive after each defeated Hartnell and Atlantic on Sunday.
The two Hollister teams will now play each other in the quarterfinal round today in Gonzales at 5:30 p.m.
Representing the Junior League at the Tournament of Champions, the Giants were eliminated by Atlantic 12-0 on Monday.
