Newport Beach Little League: Giants outlast Braves in a slugfest,

20-13

NEWPORT BEACH - The Braves opened the game by scoring four runs,

but that didn’t seem to faze the Giants, who came back with 13 runs of

their own in the bottom of the first en route to a 20-13 victory in the

Majors Division of Newport Beach Little League.

Tom Koss hit a three-run home run in the top of the first inning for

the Braves, his second in two games to stake the Braves to an early lead,

but the Giants countered with 13 runs in their half of the inning and

would never look back.

Kevin Kottke led the Giants’ offensive muscle with a single, double,

triple, four RBIs and three runs scored. Mark Kanow doubled twice, had

two RBIs and three runs scored. Nick Taylor doubled twice, singled and

had three RBIs. Joe Eberhard finished with a single, double and two RBIs.

Andy Bender collected three hits, scored three runs and had an RBI for

the Giants. Matt Wheatley, Max Prescott and Jerry Kazmierczak each

chipped in with a single for the Giants.

Taylor, Wheatley and Taylor Stone each had three strikeouts for the

Giants.

The Braves’ hitting attack was led by Thomas Dialynas, Grant Kelegian,

Ricky Townsend and Denny Powers, each with a hit. Alex Shafnitz got on

base three times and scored a run for the Braves. Jeff Jones, Dialynas

and Max Frisbie pitched for the Braves.

In AAA action:

* Yankees 9, Braves 8 - A dramatic bottom of the sixth inning ended

when the Yankees squeaked out a run on a two-out, bases loaded walk to

edge the Braves.

Zac Cabin, who also pitched for the Yankees, led the offense with two

RBIs, while Mattias Russo-Larsson made some strong defensive plays behind

the plate. Jake Starnes, Riley Conroy and Gavin Koontz also contributed

defensively for the Yankees.

Josh Starnes, J.P. Fleming, Russo-Larsson and Weston Nielsen, who

allowed only one run in the final two innings, pitched for the Yankees.

Nick Flamson homered and added another hit for the Braves, who also

received timely hitting from David Guibord and Andrew Dunlap. Dunlap and

Flamson pitched well for the Braves.

* Dodgers 10, Giants 5 - Steady pitching and timely hitting meshed for

the Dodgers as they beat the Giants.

The Dodger offense was led by Michael Borchard, two hits and a double

in the Dodgers’ third inning rally. Emery Molnar and Colin Krahe also had

key hits in the third inning.

Dietrich Stauffer, Nick Taormina and Borchard combined for the win,

striking out 10, allowing only two hits.

Borchard pitched two shutout innings to close out the game for the

Dodgers.

The Dodgers’ defense was led by Andrew Iverson, Borchard and Molnar.

The Giants’ offense was led by Jaime Heinecke and Beau Attyah, each

with a hit. Attyah also led the defense with a stellar performance at

catcher, leaving several Dodger runners stranded at third.

* Angels 16, Mariners 9 - The Angels broke open an 8-7 game with eight

runs in the top of the sixth and went on to defeat the Mariners.

Offensive firepower for the Angels was provided by Brian Hurst (two

hits, two walks and four runs scored), Chandler Mitchell (two hits, two

walks, three runs scored), Eric Morris (three hits, one walk, one run

scored) and Doug Watt (three hits, one walk, one run scored).

Morris, Dillon Campbell and Hurst pitched strong innings in the win.

Cory Vitalo (two hits, walk, three runs scored), Ross Evans (two hits,

two runs scored) and Chase Carlile (three hits, two runs scored) led the

Mariners’ hitting attack.

Connor Gaughan and Reed Williams pitched well.

* Yankees 14, Reds 10 - No it’s not a football score, just a couple of

high-powered offenses that battled in a high-scoring duel the Yankees won

over the Reds.

The Yankees received timely hits from J.P. Fleming, Riley Conroy,

Anthony Mainero, Weston Nielsen, who pitched, and Jake Starnes, all

singled and doubled. Zac Cabin and Josh Starnes also pitched for the

Yankees.

The Reds got triples from Cameron Koziara and Robert Conneally, and

received strong hitting from Matt Ruiz, Patrick Vorwerck, Scott Cook,

Brooks Brady and Donald Dalton. Parker Stone pitched for the Reds.

Defensive contributions for the Yankees were provided by Fleming and

Mattias Russo-Larsson.

In AA action:

* Dodgers 12, Red Sox 5 - The Dodgers scored early and often to

outlast the Red Sox.

The Dodgers got to Red Sox’ aces Brent Lawson and Clark Cashion to

take an early 8-4 lead they would never relinquish, on the bats of Nick

Curci, Mason Case and Zach Murtaugh.

The Red Sox defense was led by Jonathan Metcalf, Taylor Epp and Cole

Chatham, whose diving snare of a line drive saved two runs.

* Diamondbacks 16, Cardinals 5 - The Diamondbacks got home runs from

Michael Taormina (2) and Austin Blodgett, and strong pitching from

Brandon Pick to power them over the Cardinals.

Pick pitched three innings, allowing two earned runs, and Taormina

added an inning in relief.

Sam Cubeiro, Eric Hallett and Andrew Machoskie collected key hits for

the Diamondbacks.