Titles up for grabs

Mike Sciacca

The Fourth of July holiday gave eight local Little League All-Star

teams a reprieve from competition, but the action gets hot and heavy

again starting at 5 p.m. today as the District 62 All-Star Tournament

continues.

District titles are up for grabs in Majors, 9/10 and Junior

divisions.

The Area 1 competition in Majors and 9/10 is being held at

Robinwood Little League and Area 2 games are played at Seaview Little

League. Westminster Little League is hosting the Junior League

tournament.

The double-elimination event leads to the district championships

held July 12 through 14.

First-round winners included Ocean View, Fountain Valley,

Huntington Valley and Seaview in the Majors Division; Huntington

Valley and Costa Mesa National in the 9/10 Division and Westminster

and Robinwood in the Junior League tournament.

In Majors Division first-round action:

At Seaview Little League

Seaview 5, Costa Mesa American 0

Seaview took control of the game after a scoreless first inning.

In the bottom of the second, Aaron Ochoa and Kyle Ball hit

back-to-back singles and Markus Trujillo plated the first run by

sending a sacrifice fly to center field.

Seaview widened its lead in the third inning, scoring three times

in the frame. JB Bryant got things started by lacing a triple to

right-center. Costa Mesa American pitcher Austin Quon nearly worked

out of trouble by getting the next two hitters, but Tony Giovinetti

knocked in Bryant with a double down the left-field line. Doubles by

Dan Givens and Ochoa followed.

Seaview scored its last run behind the speed of Garrett Moore, who

got on base on a fielder’s choice and continued to second on a

throwing error. After moving to third on a fielder’s choice, he

scored on a passed ball.

Trujillo started on the mound and pitched three solid innings. He

struck out two, walked one and surrendered only one hit, but that

runner was erased on the defensive play of the game. Playing in left

field, Givens cut the ball off before it could reach the fence and

fired a strike to second base to cut down the Costa Mesa American

runner.

Bryant, Jimmy Madden and Billy Keller each logged an inning on the

mound, combining to strike out two without issuing a walk.

Seaview meets Huntington Valley today at 5 p.m. in a winner’s

bracket showdown.

Huntington Valley 5, Costa Mesa National 1

Huntington Valley spotted Costa Mesa National a 1-0 lead before

scoring the game’s final five runs.

After giving up a second-inning home run, Huntington Valley got on

the scoreboard in the second inning with Houston Hill’s two-run

single being the key hit of the frame. In the Huntington Valley

fourth, Scott Martin hit a solo home run.

The runs helped Huntington Valley overcome a frustrating start, as

they were unable to score in similar bases-loaded situations in the

first two innings.

Nick Mazzone and Jullien Herrera also had key hits for Huntington

Valley.

Mazzone threw a solid five innings. The only hit he relinquished

was the second-inning homer. Ryan Little replaced Mazzone in the

fifth and escaped a bases-loaded jam.

With one out and Costa Mesa National threatening to score, Little

struck out the first two batters he faced to protect Huntington

Valley’s 5-1 lead. Martin closed the game, striking out the side in

the sixth to complete the victory.

“All of our guys pitched well, but Ryan’s turn was huge,”

Huntington Valley Manager Nick Mazzone said. “The second guy he

struck out to get out of the jam was their kid who hit the home run.

“Our kids again showed a lot of heart and competitiveness. The two

teams just punched it out. Costa Mesa National had a spectacular

pitcher. They were a really classy team.”

Huntington Valley battles Seaview today at 5 p.m. at Seaview

Little League.