With a win and a loss at the West Zone Tournament in Fullerton
over the weekend, the Morgan Hill Pony all-stars will have to
battle back through the loser
’s bracket to have a shot at Wednesday’s finals.
With a win and a loss at the West Zone Tournament in Fullerton over the weekend, the Morgan Hill Pony all-stars will have to battle back through the loser’s bracket to have a shot at Wednesday’s finals.
MH beat tourney host Fullerton 9-1 on Saturday, then dropped a 3-0 decision to Mililani, Hawaii on Sunday.
MH was scheduled to play a Burien, Wash. on Monday, and if victorious were scheduled to advance to play the winner of the Los Alamitos, Calif. vs. Covina, Calif. game immediately afterwards.
The local all-star squad, which is playing in its third straight West Zone tourney, would also have to win once on Tuesday and twice on Wednesday.
Following are the results from last weekend:
Morgan Hill 9, Fullerton 1
Morgan Hill easily dispatched the host team, scoring runs in each of the first five innings, and holding Fullerton to just a single run.
Starting pitcher Ryan Evanger held Fullerton scoreless over three innings on just two hits with four strikeouts.
Meanwhile, in the top if the first inning, consecutive walks to Evanger, Adam Perez, Matt Cummins, and Christian Lam plated a run, with two more scoring on wild pitches.
In the second inning, Jacob Dexter walked and scored on an RBI single from Billy Hill.
In the third, Cummins lined a double to the right-center gap, and scored on a two-out single from Jonathan Hughes.
Kevin Grove came in to pitch the fourth and fifth innings, and allowed just one hit, while striking out three.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Hill and Grove both singled, and Perez was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A walk to Cummins plated the first run, and Lam’s double scored Grove and Perez.
In the fifth inning, Hill singled and would eventually score on an error by the Fullerton centerfielder.
Cummins pitched the sixth inning, allowing one run, but striking out the hitter with the bases loaded.
In the seventh inning, Hughes allowed just two baserunners, but retired Fullerton without a run.
Mililani 3, Morgan Hill 0
In a very tight, well-played game, Morgan Hill lost to the team from Oahu.
Starting pitcher Jacob Dexter had Mililani baffled all night, as he retired the side in order in each of the first three innings.
Shortstop Billy Hill and second baseman Jonathan Hughes (2B) both played brilliant defense with each recording five putouts.
Morgan Hill had two clear scoring opportunities.
In the second inning, after Matt Cummins hit a one-out double, Christian Lam clearly beat out an infield single, but was called out by the field umpire. Hughes would draw a walk, and Dexter lined the next pitch right at the second baseman.
In the bottom of the fourth, Morgan Hill loaded the bases with just one out, but could not put the ball in play, as the next two hitters both struck out.
Cummins and Adam Perez both went 2-for-3 for Morgan Hill in the losing effort.
In the top of the fourth inning, with a runner on second base, centerfielder Danny Nelson made the catch of the tournament, diving head-long toward the fence in centerfield to rob the Mililani hitter of a sure double, and also managed to hold the runner at second base.
However, the runner would eventually score on an infield single plus an error, to give Mililani the lead.
In the sixth inning, the Mililani lead-off hitter walked, and after being sacrificed to second, scored on a single.
The third run scored on a Morgan Hill throwing error.
MH pitcher James Johnson came in to pitch the final ining and a third, and did not allow a run.
