Mariners take Majors title

The Mariners took two games last weekend from the Marlins at Mile

Square Park to wrap up the Fountain Valley Little League Majors Division

championship in the best-of-three playoff series.

Mariners 7, Marlins 0

In the series opener, pitchers Josh Larson and Tim Nash combined to

shut out the Marlins on just four hits, and the two also furthered their

cause with strong offensive performances.

After two scoreless innings, the Mariners took command by scoring four

runs in the third inning. Robert Souders and Larson opened the frame with

consecutive walks and, one out later, Octavio Gomez lined a two-run

double to left field. The lead grew to 4-0 on consecutive RBI singles by

Tim Nash and Joe Musser.

A three run fourth inning by the Mariners put the game away.

With runners stationed at second and third, Larson picked up an RBI on

a grounder, and was followed by an RBI single by Bryan Case, and an RBI

double by Nash.

Jessey Cordero singled twice and Martin Duran and James Menke each had

a single to account for the Marlins offense.

Mariners 6, Marlins 5

The second series showdown was much more intense, as the Mariners

overcame a three run deficit. The late rally was capped when Ryan Buckles

doubled home Bryan Case with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh

inning, giving the Mariners the title.

The double was Buckles’ third hit of the game.

The Marlins took a 1-0 lead when Bobby Johnson, who advanced to third

base on a Zack Moore single, scored on a passed ball. But the Mariners

came back to take a 2-1 lead when Tim Nash delivered a two-out, two-run

home run, which scored Josh Larson, who earlier had doubled.

The Marlins, however, immediately answered the Mariners’ challenge by

scoring four runs in the fourth inning, with James Menke hitting an RBI

single, and Jordan Brown scoring two more runs with a single.

The Mariners drew even in the fifth inning on a pair of walks and RBI

singles by Nash and Buckles.

Buckles also collected the pitching win by throwing a scoreless

seventh inning.