NEWPORT BEACH LITTLE LEAGUE-Reds roll to 10-0 win

Bryce Alderton

NEWPORT BEACH - The Reds’ offense fired on all cylinders while

Blaine Neilsen dominated Giant hitters on the mound, striking out six of

the ten batters he faced, giving up just one hit in three innings of

work, in a Newport Beach Little League Majors American Division game

Saturday against the Giants.

Reds’ batters banged out 14 hits en route to 10 runs to wrap up the

game in four innings, giving the team its ninth win.

Joe Frey singled in the second and Evan McNerney had an RBI. Eric

Mooney walked to load the bases, and J.P. Gormly and Sean Tokuyama

singled to stake the Reds to a 5-0 lead after two innings.

The scoring continued in the third, as Neilsen (who scored a run in

the fourth inning after doubling) singled, then scored on Timmy Winning’s

(who also had an RBI in the fourth) shot that almost cleared the center

field wall. Brett Bartlett picked up an RBI on a sacrifice to put the

Reds up 7-0.

The Reds added three more runs in the fourth with back-to-back

doubles, one from Andrew Silva, and another single to make it 10-0.

Dylan Davis helped in the field to hold the Giants scoreless.

In other Majors action:

* ANGELS 4, DIAMONDBACKS 0 - Angel pitcher Michelle Zucker pitched a

scoreless fourth inning allowing only one hit in her appearance.

She’s the first girl to pitch in a Newport Beach Little League Majors

game in many years.

Angel batters collected four consecutive hits in a two-out, third

inning rally. Andy Rovzar, who also pitched, hit a sharp single to center

to keep the rally alive. Scott Ely followed with a single down the left

field line that scored the first run. Michael Page followed with a smash

to right to score another run to make the score, 2-0.

Shane Boras completed the scoring when he hit a double to the

left-center field gap that scored two more runners to make it, 4-0.

The Diamondbacks received strong starting pitching from Fletcher Della

Grotta (who picked up a hit on a hard double to left) and Scott Colton.

Michael Artenian had the other hit for the first-place Diamondbacks.

* MARINERS 1, CARDINALS 0 - Strong pitching was the story as Mariner

pitcher John Doering (struck out six, walked none) pitched a two-hit

complete game shutout to lead the Mariners to a 1-0 win over the Cardinals.

He drove in the winning run in a game that lasted one hour-45 minutes.

* MARINERS 6, YANKEES 5 - Mariner Erik Rask (two hits and three RBIs)

hit a game-winning home run over the left field fence in extra innings to

defeat the Yankees, 6-5.

Nick Freeman, Devin Kelly, William Ham and Tom Adamson each had two

hits, while Kevin Rask, Bryce Donovan, David Dalton and Michael Baer (who

gave up one run on two hits for the win in relief) each had hits.

Chase Ross and John Doering assisted in the defense for the Mariners.

In Triple A play:

* GIANTS 7, YANKEES 6 - In a competitive matchup, the Giants scored

the winning run in the bottom of the last inning.

With two outs, the Giants’ Kevin Kottke (who also doubled), singled to

right field to advance Nick Klein (two hits and an RBI) to third base.

Klein then scored on a passed ball to score the winning run for the

Giants.

The Giants’ 15-hit attack came courtesy of Andy Bender (two hits and

an RBI), Taylor Stone (two hits and an RBI), Joe Eberhard (double and an

RBI), Nick Taylor (two hits and an RBI), Kendall Pick (double, single and

an RBI) and Mark Kanow and Jerry Kazmierzak each had a single.

Taylor and Stone both pitched effectively for the Giants.

The Yankees scored two runs in the top of the last inning on a double

by Patrick Brennan to tie the score, 6-6.

Tyler Haly tripled, and Brett Weinberger and Patrick Marin-Finn added

doubles for the Yankees.

* GIANTS 9, CARDINALS 0 - Four Giant pitchers combined on a two-hitter

in a win over the Cardinals.

Jack Gerdau, Josh Harrison, Max Colvin and Jamie Heinecke combined to

yield 11 groundball outs in the win.

The Giants defense, led by Michael Hayde, Mitch Gardner and Eric

Chebil, played errorless ball in holding the Cardinals scoreless.

The Giants’ offensive attack was led by Peter Weidner (singled, walked

and scored twice) and Heinecke (singled, walked twice and scored two

runs).

Cardinal pitcher Nick Couchot blanked the Giants over the last two

innings whilestriking out three.

In Double A play:

* GIANTS 6, RED SOX 5 - The Giants improved to 11-1-1 with a come from

behind victory.

The Red Sox scored four runs in the third inning to take a 5-3 lead.

Clever baserunning by the Giants’ Jonathan Ben-Menahem and RBI singles

by Graeme Fraser and Tony McCoy tied the score, 5-5, in the fifth inning.

In the top of the sixth, the Giants’ Dan Steele began the rally with a

base hit and went to second. Bryce Bastien advanced the runner to third

and he then scored on Allie Pries’ groundout to give the Giants a 6-5

lead.

Fraser, the Giants’ closer, struck out the side in the bottom of the

sixth to end the game after Red Sox’ Ryan Banning led off with a walk and

advanced to third with no outs.

Other Giants’ stars included Billy Macdonald, who provided timely

hitting and effective pitching, Max Priestly reached base three times,

John Prickett was solid behind the plate and defensive gems were turned

in by Zach Socoloske and Justin Tucker.

Matt Berry and Taylor Ross pitched well for the Red Sox.