Capoccia mows down Astros

COSTA MESA ? As much as the Costa Mesa National Little League Minor A Division Pirates enjoy playing baseball games, they would much rather practice than play a game Wednesday.

Playing Wednesday would have meant a loss Monday, the Pirates first in the double-elimination playoffs to set up a one-game title showdown for the league’s No. 1 berth in the District 62 Tournament of Champions.

With both teams’ aces pitching Monday and thus not eligible to pitch the next game, Wednesday’s game would have been wide open.

The Pirates never gave the Astros an opportunity to think about playing Wednesday, winning, 4-0, Monday at TeWinkle Middle School. Both team’s move on to the Tournament of Champions, beginning June 12.

Dante Capoccia pitched a three-hit shutout, getting 15 of the 18 outs via the strikeout.

“I was moving the ball around and I was throwing hard,” Capoccia said.

Despite Capoccia bringing the heat, catcher Kohl Ponsford did not have problems locating the ball.

“I was moving the glove around and watching the ball,” Ponsford said.

Dylan Ulrich had a hit and drove in two runs and Trever Ramsey had a hit, one RBI and scored one run.

“When I hit the RBI I was nervous I was going to strike out,” said Ramsey, adding that he knew he had a hit “when the ball hit the bat.”

Ulrich had reservations before the game because the Astros took just one of three regular-season meetings with the Pirates (18-1).

“We’ve lost to them before,” Ulrich said. “We were a little worried, but our coached [conditioned] us to not lose.”

Several players pointed to coaching as one reason for the team’s success this season.

“The players and obviously the coach,” right fielder Connor Pearce said. “He gives us discipline.”

Hayden Swift said: “We’ve got good players and we’ve got a good coach. I’m pretty sure we’ll be on a winning streak.”

Even though Capoccia kept the ball from leaving the infield more than once, the Pirates outfielders could not have been more excited throughout the game.

“You get to watch the whole game while you’re back there,” center fielder Dylan Tyler said. “I was just cheering him on.”

The Pirates scored all four runs in the second inning, started by Brian Robbs’ leadoff single.

“We had a rally going,” Robbs said. “I hoped the batters would hit and then I could go home.”

His teammates did just that, first Ramsey drove Robbs in with a single down the right-field line to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead, then Chase Whittaker singled and Brad Ehrhorn walked to load the bases.

“I concentrated,” Whittaker said. “I knew I could do it.”

Ulrich drove in two more runs with a single past the drawn-in infield, giving the Pirates a 3-0 lead.

Garrett Deutsch led off the game with a bunt single for the Astros. Sammy Borkton had a one-out single to put runners at first and second, but the team’s only scoring opportunity never materialized.

Borkton struck out six batters and Erik Rasmussen had the Astros’ other hit.

In Minor B action Monday: The Rockies defeated the Dodgers, 23-1, to force a deciding game Wednesday at TeWinkle at 5:15 p.m.

Nani Plews led the Rockies with four runs and four hits.

Hunter Roginson, Christian Salazar and Alex Chairez had three hits apiece.

Frankie Millan and Brad Chandler had two hits and two runs each for the Rockies.

Daniel Neff scored the Dodgers’ run.dpt.06-youthbase-2-cw-BPhotoInfoMM1RMDEV20060606j0f1g7ncCHRIS WAGNER / DAILY PILOT(LA)The Astros’ John Barr, above right, reaches to tag the Pirates’ Dylan Ulrich at home plate in Monday’s Minor A title game. Below, The Astros’ Jackson Letterman stetches in an attempt to bunt Monday at TeWinkle Middle School.dpt.06-youthbase-1-cw-BPhotoInfoMM1RMD6820060606j0f1jhncCHRIS WAGNER / DAILY PILOT(LA)The Astros’ John Barr, above right, reaches to tag the Pirates’ Dylan Ulrich at home plate in Monday’s Minor A title game. Below, The Astros’ Jackson Letterman stetches in an attempt to bunt Monday at TeWinkle Middle School.