Tommy Hernandez blasts 16th homer of the season, pushes
Nationals past Soledad 3-2 to advance to Tournament of Champions
final against Continental tonight
SALINAS
The relatively easy road for the Hollister Little League major Nationals in District 9 Tournament of Champions play got a little bumpy on Wednesday night when it faced a team that had not lost a game all year.
But a late home run and solid pitching propelled the local National League champs into Friday’s title game with a 3-2 win over Soledad. Hollister, now 22-4 on the year, will face off against Continental Little League of Salinas at 5:30 p.m., at Hartnell Little League’s field in Salinas.
Soledad, which had beaten Hollister’s American League champion Yankees in the first round of TOC action last weekend, proved a worthy opponent as it held Hollister scoreless over the first two innings.
Meanwhile, Hollister starter Tommy Hernandez returned the favor, not surrendering a run through the first three innings.
In the bottom of the third, Hollister mounted a two-out rally when Andrew Breen drew a walk and cleanup hitter Frankie Gutierrez doubled him in, making the score 1-0. Soledad answered in the top of the fourth when its first batter walked, advanced to third on consecutive wild pitches, then scored on an errant pickoff throw from the catcher, knotting the game at 1-1.
Soledad took the lead in the top of the fifth when consecutive singles were followed by a rundown between first and second base. The runner on third scored after a throwing error and the visitors led 2-1 entering the bottom of the fifth.
After Hollister’s Elijah Garcia drew a walk to start off the inning, Hernandez launched his 16th home run of the season into the tennis court beyond left field, putting the Nationals up 3-2 entering the final frame.
Reliever Andrew Breen struck out the first two Soledad batters he faced, then, after surrendering a single up the middle, he struck out his third batter of the inning on three pitches to sew up the win and send Hollister to the championship game.
Triple-A Tournament of Champions
The Hollister National Mets defeated King City 11-8 on Thursday night at Ferrasci Park in Salinas to advance to the District 9 Tournament of Champions final on Saturday.
The Mets will play Greenfield at Gonzales Little League at 10 a.m.
