Ocean View rally falls one run short

Mike Sciacca, Independent

Williamsport, Pa. was oh, so close, but ended up being so far away.

Ocean View Little League’s Major Division All-Star team had its

amazing season end with an amazing rally in the bottom of the sixth

inning Thursday night, but fell one run short and thus, Hazel Dell Little

League of Vancouver, Wash. was able to escape with a 3-2 victory in the

2000 Western Regional championship game.

The showdown was played out before close to 10,000 at Al Haughton

Stadium in San Bernardino, as well as a live national television audience

on ESPN2.

With the nail-biting victory, Hazel Dell accomplished two things: it

will advance to the World Series in Williamsport, Pa. (which begins on

Sunday), and became the first team from the state of Washington since

1982 to win the Western Regional title. Kirkland Little League won the

crown that year, and parlayed it into a World Series championship.

In five regional games, Hazel Dell outscored it opponents, 39-4.

They’re getting to Williamsport, however, on three, unearned runs and

thanks, largely, to the combined no-hit pitching of Greg Peavey (winner)

and reliever Jay Ponciano.

The duo no-hit an Ocean View team that came into the title tilt with

eight team home runs, and averaged nine runs in their four previous

tournament games.

“We were fortunate to get a few of those runs,” Hazel Dell Manager Tom

Peavey said. “This was a great win against a great Ocean View team. The

bottom line is that this was a game between two great teams, but only one

could come on top.”

A few passed balls and a wild pitch did in an Ocean View team that had

little of either thoughout a 20-game postseason that saw them run up a

17-2 record.

“Passed balls killed us tonight, and usually, we pretty much play

error-free ball,” Ocean View Manager Yun Conger said.

“It was just one of those nights.”

Ocean View trailed, 3-0, heading into the bottom of the sixth inning

when the Huntington Beach crew brought those in attendance, as well as

the national television audience, back into the game.

James Kang was hit by Ponciano to start the inning, and then Hank

Conger and Jeff Van Doornum drew consecutive walks to load the bases.

Following a Dallas Walters strikeout, Kang scored on a wild pitch,

with Chris Palmer at the plate, to narrow the gap to 3-1.

With Conger and Van Doornum advancing to third and second base,

respectively, on the play, Palmer would send a sharp grounder to Peavey

at shortstop. He fielded the ball and threw to first to get Palmer for

the second out of the inning, but Conger would score to make it 3-2.

On the play, Van Doornum hesitated at second, then broke toward third

base. Hazel Dell first baseman Korey Dunkel picked up Van Doornum, his

throw to third baseman Jeremy Dunham just beat Van Doornum’s slide to end

the game.

“What a finish,’ Yun Conger said. “I couldn’t ask for anything more

from my guys. They never quit, and that’s all I can ask for. I’m

incredibly proud of these guys.”

The game swung Hazel Dell’s way in the top of the third inning, when

the boys from Vancouver, Wa. staged a two-out rally to produce the game’s

first run.

Palmer, Ocean View’s starting pitcher, seemed headed for an easy

inning when he struck out the first two btters he faced, but, on a 2-2

count to Ponciano, Palmer hit Hazel Dell’s leadoff hitter in the left

foot, to put a runner on base.

Palmer paid for it. Ponciano went to second base on a passed ball, and

scored when Jackson Evans took a 2-1 pitch to right field for an RBI

single. It was the second hit in two at-bats for Evans, who entered

Thursday’s game with a .571 tournament batting average.

When the third inning was complete, Ocean View Manager Yun Conger

replaced Palmer with Hank Conger.

“I don’t like to throw my guys more than three or four innings, and we

have enough quality pitchers to get the job done,” Yun Conger said.

“Chris did a real nice job, but I planned from the start to split

pitching duties.”

Hank Conger came in and struck out three of the first four batters he

faced. Palmer, meanwhile, threw a great game, striking out six of the 12

batters he faced. He gave up just the two hits to Evans, and didn’t walk

a batter.

“Dallas (Walters), Chris (Palmer), Hank (Conger), Trey (Valbuena),

those pitchers got us this far, and Chris and Hank did an outstanding job

again tonight.”

Hazel Dell Manager Tom Peavey, matched Yun Conger in the chess match

and replaced his starting pitcher and team ace, Greg Peavey, with Ponciao

at the outset of the bottom of the fourth inning.

Ponciano proceeded to retire the side. Greg Peavey was in complete

control when he exited, striking out six without giving up a hit. The

only baserunner the right-hander allowed Ocean View in the first three

innings was Hank Conger, who walked twice.

Hazel Dell got to Conger, though, in the fifth inning, as Jesse Boehm,

in his first at-bat, drew a leadoff walk. He went to second base on a

passed ball, then reached third base on Poniciano’s pop up in foul

territory just behind first base.

Palmer, now playing at first, made the catch on the back-pedal, but

lost his balance and fell to the turf. That allowed Boehm to take off

from second, and he easily beat Palmer’s throw to third base. Boehm would

score on a passed ball for a 2-0 lead.

Another costly error by Ocean View all but sealed the Southern

California champions’ fate. With one out in the top half of the fifth,

Hazel Dell’s Josh Hash was hit by a pitch, went to second on a passed

ball, and was moved to third on Peavey’s sacrifice bunt. Conger then

threw a wild pitch to Alex Gordon, and Hash came home to make it 3-0.