Pirates stay on top things, triumph

HUNTINGTON BEACH ? In between innings, an errant throw sailed into the outfield and Pirates Brad Ehrhorn and Dylan Tyler raced after it. Neither of the Costa Mesa National Little League teammates wanted it to get away.

When a ground ball pulled Pirates’ first baseman Brian Robbs away from the bag, second baseman Dylan Ulrich darted to cover first because he did not want the out to get away.

And when the Pirates’ four-run lead disappeared in the top of the third inning, there was no way the Minor A team was going to let the game get away.

Instead, the Pirates scored seven runs in the bottom of the third en route to a 14-4 victory over the Westminster Little League Royals in the opening round of the District 62 Tournament of Champions at LeBard Park.

It all ended when the Pirates displayed one of the things they do best: follow the manager’s instructions. Up, 13-4, with two outs in the bottom of the fifth and Robbs on third base, Pirates Manager BeeJay Mazur told Trever Ramey to hit it to right field. Ramey lined the following pitch to right to drive in the game-ending run.

“I was gonna do it,” Ramey said. “I didn’t even know it was over. I thought we had more to go.”

But Ramey quickly realized the game ended when his teammates poured onto the field.

It all began after the Royals tied the score at four after a four-run second.

When the Pirates’ Hayden Swift was hit by a pitch with one out in the fourth and Yezion Ramirez on first, it was the last straw. Swift went from writhing in pain on the ground to refocused on first to scoring along with Ramirez to give the Pirates a 6-4 lead, punctuated by thumping his chest after he crossed the plate.

“It was pretty painful,” Swift said. “It’s still sore, but I had to take one for the team.”

The parade of runs started when Ramirez blooped a single to center.

“I was confident,” Ramirez said. “I just looked at the ball, saw it was good to hit and so I hit it. It’s really fun.”

Dylan Tyler drove in Ramirez and Swift by lining a single to center field.

“We just came home and scored on them,” said Tyler who was not worried when the Royals tied the score. “I knew we could get hits. We could get it to the outfield. We tried our best.”

Tyler’s single was followed by an infield single by Kohl Ponsford, the Pirates’ starting pitcher who moved to shortstop in the third.

“I just hit it down the third-base line,” said Ponsford, who attributed his pitching success to simulation in practice. “I have been practicing games in practice. I thought we’d win, but just by six.”

After Dante Capoccia drove in another run with a groundout, Robbs, who was three for three, notched an RBI with a double to left-center field to give the Pirates a 9-4 lead. For Robbs, it was all mental.

“When I watch the ball, I imagine it’s going in slow motion,” Robbs said. “I aim at it in slow motion.”

Ramey’s single and Chase Whittaker’s groundout gave the Pirate’s an 11-4 lead.

Ehrhorn came back to retire the side, but in typical fashion. He gave up a single to the first batter and walked the second, but the Royals tried a double steal. Pirates’ catcher Capoccia threw to Ulrich at second to get Vince O’Reilly and Ulrich threw back to Capoccia to get Bryon Gutierrez for the double play.

“I like throwing people out,” Capoccia said with a smile.

Ehrhorn finished the inning with a strikeout on a curveball.

“We’ve been practicing [curveballs],” Ehrhorn said. “I knew I could strike them out.”

For Ulrich, completing the comeback was the sweetest part of the game.

The Pirates added three runs in the fifth, capped by Ramey’s hit to force an early end to the game.

“My favorite part of the game was the ending,” the Pirates’ Connor Pearce said. “I saw them practicing before the game and I knew we could beat them.”

The Pirates will play Saturday at 9 a.m. against the winner of today’s first-round game between Costa Mesa American and Fountain Valley.

In Minor B action Monday:

The Costa Mesa National Little League Rockies Rockies defeated the Fountain Valley Yankees, 10-5.

Brandon Long was three for three and Zach Cosner had three hits and two doubles for the Rockies.Cristian Salazar also had three hits including a double.

The Rockies posted a seven-run first inning and led for good.

Cristian Salazar also had three hits including a double.

Rockies Manager Mark Roginson said first baseman Frankie Millan was “a vacuum cleaner at first base.” In the final inning, Millan made an unassisted double play.