Talented squad builds for future
SAN JOSE
If you doubted the Northern California teams before last week’s Pinto World Series, you had your reasons. Unlike their southern counterparts who advanced through four tournaments to reach the state championships in San Jose, teams from Northern California had to win one qualifier, a sectional at that.
As the eight-team series played out across four days at PAL Stadium, two Southern California squads ultimately reached Sunday’s championship round in PAL Stadium while a pair of Silicon Valley teams fell a game short. There is no way to tell which of the latter two earned third place outright; no bronze medals were allotted in the two-bracket tournament. Morgan Hill and Blossom Valley took solace knowing they deserved to play for it. Doubters would have seen a show.
If they can keep their team together, the local 8-year-olds will likely have more to shoot for in the future. Their 2010 postseason ended Saturday with a 14-5 semifinals loss to eventual runner-up North Valley.
“This entire tournament is going to do nothing but benefit this group,” Morgan Hill manager Vince LaGatta said Monday. “This was a journey none of them will forget. Anytime you win a game in a World Series, it’s a confidence booster. We won two against teams that were battled tested. Take nothing away from our kids. Some of the other teams have been playing together for years. We’ve been together for five weeks.”
In four games, Morgan Hill experienced every emotion. From a humbling 12-2 loss in five innings Thursday to North Valley, to subsequent thrilling wins over Vacaville (13-10) Friday and San Jose PAL (4-1) Saturday, to Sunday’s well-fought elimination loss, the Morgan Hill All-Stars played like a team that has been to a World Series before.
Things looked grim, though, after their first game against North Valley. Morgan Hill players and coaches, escorted by a large gathering of fans wearing burnt orange, said little as they left PAL Stadium a loss away from elimination.
“We could have packed it in at that point,” said LaGatta, whose previously unbeaten team strolled through its host sectional two weeks ago. “It took some real fortitude for us to battle back. We had never been in that position, but the guys believed in themselves.”
Morgan Hill resumed its winning ways Friday — but only after Vacaville scored six runs in an inning to lead 7-4. The local team answered with six runs in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth.
“That was the best game by far,” LaGatta said. “No one gave up on our side.”
Saturday, Morgan Hill eliminated San Jose PAL behind its strong pitching staff — led by Colton Moorehead, Cory Taylor and Gio Saso — and a decisive two-run triple by Karson Mazotti, who missed the previous two games because of sickness. Teammate Vinnie LaGatta made several key plays at shortstop to help keep the tournament hosts at bay. Jonathan Singleton, the team leader in hits and RBIs, hit a double off the wall.
“It took everyone playing their best,” Vince LaGatta said. “Karson definitely came through for us. We needed a big hit, and he delivered.”
As they discovered Thursday, Morgan Hill would need every big hit imaginable to put away North Valley, a Super Regional champion comprised of players from two travel-ball teams. Morgan Hill “fought until the end,” as LaGatta said, but was overmatched.
North Valley shared the heartbreak Sunday, squandering a nine-run lead in the final inning of a 14-13 loss to champion Corona.
“North Valley was, in my opinion the best team in this tournament,” LaGatta said. “We were a little behind the curve against them. If you’re going to be that caliber, you have to be able to win at that level consistently.”
Morgan Hill will have that opportunity next year in the Mustang 9 Division, which features section, region and zone tournaments leading up to the World Series. LaGatta does not know if he and his coaches, Mike Mercurio and Bill Singleton, will be back at the helm in 2011 — staffs are determined by Morgan Hill Pony Baseball — but he is certain the team can be a contender once again.
“They have the makeup of a championship team,” LaGatta said. “If they work hard this offseason and get the same tremendous support from their families and the community next year, they’ll be able to compete with anybody. Sky’s the limit.”
