MH squad begins Regional Tournament play on Thursday
Continuing a streak of dominant play in all-star competition, the Morgan Hill Pony A all-star team bounced host Los Gatos 7-0 in the Sectional Tournament champ-ionship game on Saturday, earning the right to advance to the Northern California Regional Tournament this week.
It was the local team’s third consecutive shutout, during which MH pitchers allowed only four hits, committed just two errors, and outscored the opposition 27-0.
The MH Pony all-stars will begin play in the Regional Tournament, to be held at Rosita Field in Los Altos, against Daly City at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.
MH’s first opponent in the Regional Tournament — Daly City — is the same team the local all-stars faced as 13-year-olds in last year’s Regional. The MH Pony all-stars are attempting to advance to Pony Baseball West Zone Tournament play for the third consecutive year. This year’s West Zone tourney will be held in Fullerton, Calif.
Two years ago, many of the current Pony all-stars played in the Bronco West Zone tourney in Whittier, Calif., finishing fourth overall with a record of 2-2.
Last year, the team finished fifth in West Zone play with a record of 1-2.
In the Sectional tourney finale, the Pony all-stars broke open a close 2-0 game in the sixth inning.
Los Gatos’ left-handed pitcher stifled the Morgan Hill hitters until the sixth.
Christian Lam led off the inning with a bloop single, then, with two outs, Kevin Grove worked the count full before being hit by a pitch.
With runners on first and third, Danny Nelson lined a sharp single that just tipped the third baseman’s glove before going into left field to score Lam. Grove alertly took third on the play, then scored on a Los Gatos error to make the score 4-0.
MH scored its first run when Billy Hill was hit by the first pitch of the game, and eventually scored on a dropped third strike.
In the third inning, the local all-stars extended their lead when starting pitcher Joe Woodworth blasted an 0-2 pitch over the left-center field.
In the top of the seventh inning, James Johnson had a lead-off infield single and, again with two outs, scored on a base hit by pinch-hitter Ryan Evanger.
Catcher Adam Perez stepped up to the plate and blasted a long home run over the right field fence for the final two runs.
Woodworth threw 3 1/3 innings, allowing only two walks on no hits, while striking out two. But Woodworth had to leave the game with an elbow injury, and relief pitcher Matt Cummins came in to retire two of the final three Los Gatos batters in the fourth inning.
With a runner on third base, it looked like MH would yield its first run of all-star play, until shortstop Hill ranged into the hole, robbing a base hit and a sure run.
Cummins finished the game (3 2/3 innings, one hit, four strikeouts) and helped himself out by picking off the leadoff hitter in the fifth at second base.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Cummins struck out the first two hitters swinging, and induced a line drive for the final out to centerfielder Jacob Dexter.
Note: The Morgan Hill Pony B all-star team also had a very successful Sectional Tournament, finishing 2-2 and knocking two teams out of the tournament (San Francisco Youth #2 and Belmont A), before falling in Friday’s semifinal to Los Gatos 9-4.
The B team included Mike Devine, Andrew Chiri, Robert Barsanti, Joey McGee, Steven Lujan, Derrick Rinauro, Blake Winzeler, Taylor O’Connell, Matt Warnock, Steven Davis, Tim O’Rourke, and Derek Campagna.
