CMNLL baseball: Dodgers, D-backs roll into playoffs

COSTA MESA - June 6 proved a successful day for at least two teams

in Costa Mesa.

Both the Dodgers and the Diamondbacks of Costa Mesa National Little

League’s Majors Division won their games as they headed into their

best-of-three championship series, won by the Diamondbacks two games to

none.

In National Majors action leading up to the playoffs:

*Diamondbacks 1, Cardinals 0 - Ryan Redding, who had reached on a

fielder’s choice and moved to third on an error, scored the game’s only

run on a wild pitch to give the D-backs the win.

Brandon Maurer, who retired the Cardinals in the sixth, stuck out the

last two Cardinal batters in the top of the sixth after Johnny Person had

walked and Garrick Williams (five innings, one hit, one walk, facing 18

batters) singled.

Riley Hart allowed three hits and one walk through four innings for

the D-backs.

Peter Frydendall caught a pop to third, William Evans caught a long

fly to center and Ryan Knapp made some solid defensive plays at

shortstop.

*Dodgers 11, White Sox 3, - The Dodgers clinched first place in the

regular season’s second half with the win.

Alex Grosek had an RBI single to get the Dodgers going early, driving

in Brandon Grimmett, who had singled.

Ian Abernathy had two hits and three runs scored while Cory Ames

contributed two hits and a run. Bryan Bennett had a double and two runs

to lead the Dodger offense. Also contributing with the bat were Juan

Guzman (single, two runs), as well as Cory Green and Matthew Telles, each

with hits and two runs.

The Dodgers received strong pitching from Guzman (four innings, one

run, two hits, three strikeouts, 36 pitches) and Justin Long (two

innings, three strikeouts).

* Dodgers 9, Marlins 3 - Both Ian Abernathy and Justin Long split six

innings on the mound, striking out six Marlins apiece in the Dodgers’

win.

The Dodgers scored three in the first, four in the fourth and two in

the fifth. Abernathy had three hits and scored two runs, while Nick

Pedersen had two hits and three runs. Juan Guzman and Alex Grosek each

had two hits and one run, as Brandon Grimmett, Bryan Bennett, Long and

Cory Ames each contributed a hit.

In Farm Division play:

*Marlins 27, Rockies 7 - In a semifinal game, the Marlins bats came

out on fire to eliminate the Rockies.

The Marlins opened up with five runs in the top of the first and never

looked back.

For the Marlins, Brody Henscherd had two doubles and three singles,

while picking up an RBI and scoring three runs.

Chris DeSoto had four doubles and a single, scored three runs, and had

two RBIs.

Cole Mensinger had a double and four singles, racking up three RBIs

while scoring four runs.

Teammate Nico Ruan doubled, scored four times and had an RBI, while

Richard Herchuk singled, had three doubles, three RBIs and two runs.

Connor McCarthy had four hits, two RBIs and scored two runs.

Max Starkel singled five times, had three RBIs and scored three times,

while Brandon Metzger doubled twice, singled, scored three runs and

picked up two RBIs.

Derek Cherny singled, doubled, had three RBIs and scored two runs,

while Alex Esperanza had four hits, one run and two RBIs. Anthony

McCormick had two RBIs on a base hit and a third RBI on a ground ball.

For the Rockies, Maliah Murtha doubled, had two singles, one RBI and

two runs, while recording several putouts at first.

Nathan Frank singled, had an RBI triple and scored a run, while

teammate Jesse Paz collected three hits, two RBIs and a run. Paz also

made several plays at shortstop.

Robert Murtha singled, doubled and had three RBIs, while teammate Alex

Mazur had two hits and one run.

Aaron Wood (single, run scored) teamed with Murtha at first for

several outs.

Eric Rasmussen tripled and scored a run as Noah Jeyarajah (RBI single)

and Matthew Spicer (single) added to the attack.

In earlier Farm Division Tournament play:

* Mets 10, Rockies 4 - The Mets scored seven runs in the second to

break open a 1-1 game, going on to win and advance to the championship

game against the Marlins, who defeated the Rockies, 27-7, in the

semifinals.

For the Mets, Stephen Hildebrand singled three times, collected an RBI

double and scored two runs.

Kannon Stone singled, doubled, tripled, scored two runs and had two

RBIs.

Stone also threw out several Rockies’ batters at first base, as did

Nicholas Roco, who had a hit for the Mets.

Spencer Owens picked up two RBIs on a single and a double, while Kylee

Stone scored a run, doubled twice and singled.

Thomas Check had two hits and scored a run, while Jake Spielberger had

an RBI double, scored a run and had two hits.

Matthew Pederson had an RBI, singled and scored a run, while teammate

Clayton Handy doubled and scored a run.

Carter Norris had two RBIs and singled twice, while Brooke Wanbaugh

nearly hit one past the infield for a hit.

Brett Donohue, out sick, hoped to play in the championship game.

On the Rockies’ side, Jesse Paz led all batters with a triple, two

doubles, an RBI and two runs. He also caught a line drive.

Nathan Frank doubled, singled and scored a run, while Alex Mazur had

an RBI single, and threw from center field to second base for a putout.

Aaron Wood singled twice and scored a run and teammate Hannah

Jeyarajah had an RBI single.

Robert Murtha had an RBI single. Matthew Spicer doubled, while Maliah

Murtha smacked an RBI double. Murtha also made several putouts at first

against the Mets.

Eric Rasmussen and Noah Jeyarajah played right field for the Rockies,

while teammate Adam Ward played catcher.