The Scotts Valley Little League 8-9, 9-10 and 10-11 All-Star teams won their respective District 39 tournaments last week, meaning that for the second year in a row, four of the five all-star tournament crowns went to Scotts Valley.
As in 2008, roughly 50 all-star teams from Santa Cruz and San Benito counties competed across all divisions for the five titles.
Combined with the 7-8s’ all-star tournament win two weeks ago and the 11-12s’ 3-2 record before bowing out, the five Scotts Valley all-star teams boasted a combined record of 21-3 this year. The 2008 Scotts Valley teams went 24-2 in all-star play, for a two-year record of 45-5.
The 10-11s will move on to the sectional tournament this weekend in Hollister, while the 9-10s will begin play in their sectionals at Harvey West Park in Santa Cruz.
Scotts Valley 10-11s 2, Aptos 1
Sawyer Stemm pitched two-hit baseball through 42/3 innings and drove home the winning run in the third inning with a double to the centerfield fence that scored Jack Palmer, who had singled. Palmer was 3-for-3 on the day with a ground-rule double, and Jacob Weichmann and Jimmy Danels both singled. Nick Carli picked up the save with a scoreless 11/3 innings pitched.
Scotts Valley 9-10s 10,
San Lorenzo Valley 0 (four innings)
Gregory Neiger fanned eight and gave up only two hits in a four-inning complete-game win shortened by the mercy rule. Neiger also had two hits and scored twice. Jacob Utic scored three times, and Trevor Ponos had two hits and scored twice. Seth O’Brien drove in four runs, Travis Lane drove in two, and both made stellar defensive plays in the first inning.
Scotts Valley 8-9s 18,
Santa Cruz National 1 (four innings)
Multiple hits from Anthony Locatelli, Kyle Raymond, Nathan Pisciotta, Reilly Merlo, Mitchell Gaspar, Daniel Shamshoian, Jack Kastner, Conor Santos, Carson Spence, Nick Alvarez, Joe Murray and David Burke contributed to this mercy rule-shortened, four-inning contest. Gaspar claimed the complete-game win.
San Lorenzo Valley Little League
A strong all-star showing by the San Lorenzo Valley Little League ended last week when the 9-and-10-year-olds fell to Scotts Valley in the championship game.
11-12 division
SLV made it to the final three but fell to Capitola/Soquel, 5-2, and Pajaro Valley, 8-4. The locals beat Aptos, 3-1, and Santa Cruz A, 11-0.
Leading the way on offense were sluggers D’Shawn Hopkins with two home runs and five RBIs, Isaac Newberry with two home runs and Kenny Cella with a home run and three RBIs. Max La Capria racked up six hits, including three doubles, and Garrett Kustin, Jared Mailey and Nate Gentry each batted in a run.
10-11 division
The SLV 11s won their opener against Capitola/Soquel, 7-5, but were eliminated by losses to Watsonville A, 11-1, and Live Oak, 14-11. Blake Snedeker, Keenan Neu, Matt Pasternak, Mitchell Kamau, Jared Trader and Ari Solomon led the team in hitting during the tournament. Neu homered in the loss to Watsonville.
9-10 division
The SLV team finished second in District 39 with a 5-2 record. Before being eliminated in the championship game by Scotts Valley, the team beat Gilroy National, Gilroy American, Aptos, Pajaro Valley and Santa Cruz National.
SLV played well defensively, with infielders Matt Robustelli, Jonah Shabry, Mateo Ballas and Dylan Bounds backing up pitchers Shabry, Jack Gentry, Bounds and Robustelli. The locals held their opponents to fewer than three runs in all but the championship game, shutting out four teams along the way.
At the plate, Shabry, Robbie Carling, Gentry and Charlie Weigel excelled, with Carling nailing a home run off the scoreboard.
8-9 division
With a 5-2 finish, the team gave its fans a lot of excitement.
The locals were eliminated by Santa Cruz American, 18-8, and Santa Cruz National, 12-9.
They beat Aptos, Gilroy National, Capitola/Soquel and Santa Cruz National and accepted a forfeit from San Juan/Aromas.
Taj Yanez, Ben Kanter and Justin Rudrow pitched well, and fine defensive plays came from Elliot Brown and Tanner Murray.
