An all-Huntington Valley affair

The banner for the 2002 District 62 Tournament of Champions Minor B

Division winner will fly high at the fields of Huntington Valley Little

League for the next year.

That fact is certain. The only question that remains is, which team’s

name will the banner bear.

The division’s title game will be an all-Huntington Valley affair as

both the league’s top two teams won their semifinal games on Monday.

It will be the second consecutive year that a Huntington Valley team

has won the District 62 Minor B title.

In an Area 1 showdown at Mile Square Park that featured two

outstanding ballclubs, the Dodgers, the top team out of Huntington

Valley, downed the previously unbeaten Fountain Valley Yankees, 12-5, to

move on to the final.

At Costa Mesa American Little League on Monday, Huntington Valley No.

2, the Yankees, eliminated Seaview No. 1, 6-3.

The Huntington Valley Dodgers took on a Fountain Valley Yankees’ club

that hadn’t lost the entire season in piling up a 22-0 record. The

Dodgers themselves were the owner of a stellar record, as they entered

the semifinal with a 21-1 mark.

The Dodgers jumped out to a 4-0 lead through 2 1/2 innings, using a

two-RBI double by Riley Trotter in the second inning and a two-run double

by Harry Dobrott in the third.

But Fountain Valley rallied back with a five-run burst in the bottom

of the third to take their only lead at 5-4.

Unfazed, Huntington Valley came right back. Dane Delany’s double and a

bases loaded walk allowed the Dodgers to tie the score. In the fifth,

they rode Austin Raban’s two-RBI double and Philip Outlaw’s RBI single to

a six-run rally that pushed them to an 11-5 advantage.

Matt Stickler singled and scored on Matthew Steinhaus’ sacrifice fly

in the sixth inning to complete the scoring.

Steinhaus pitched 3 1/3 shutout innings with six strikeouts.

“This team continues to win because there is a different hero in every

game,” Dodgers manager Dennis Delany said. “Every player has contributed

to our success, especially during the Tournament of Champions.”

Huntington Valley reached the Area 1 final by edging Costa Mesa No. 1

last Saturday, 3-2.

Costa Mesa National’s Marlins held a 2-0 lead before the Dodgers

posted runs in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game. In the top

of the sixth, Kevin Hudson singled, stole two bases and scored on Kyle

Garcia’s game-winning single.

Taylor Nelson pitched four shutout innings with eight strikeouts,

which included striking out the side in the bottom of the sixth inning to

clinch the victory.

Catcher Dane Delany was the Dodgers’ defensive player of the game.

Minor B scoreboard

Area 1

(at Mile Square Park)

First round

CM American No. 2 14, Westminster No. 1 5

Fountain Valley No. 1 10, Seaview No. 2 1

Huntington Valley No. 1 12, Robinwood No. 2 1

CM National No. 1 11, Ocean View No. 2 0

Area 1 semifinals

Fountain Valley No. 1 13, CM American No. 2 3

Huntington Valley No. 1 3, CM National No. 1 2

Area 1 final

Huntington Valley No. 1 12, Fountain Valley No. 1 5

Area 2

(at CM American Little League)

First round

Huntington Valley No. 2 12, CM American No. 1 5

Ocean View No. 1 10, Fountain Valley No. 2 0

Robinwood No. 1 12, Westminster No. 2 2

Seaview No. 1 8, CM National No. 2 2

Area 2 semifinals

Huntington Valley No. 2 10, Ocean View No. 1 0

Seaview No. 1 11, Robinwood No. 1 1

Area 2 final

Huntington Valley No. 2 6, Seaview No. 1 3