A’s run out of rallies in opener

FOUNTAIN VALLEY ? In a tournament that by definition features the very best, the Costa Mesa American Little League A’s showed the heart of a champion on Wednesday night at Mile Square Park.

Down by four runs in the top of the third inning, the Minor A Division A’s eventually rallied to within a run. But in the end, the Ocean View Little League Diamondbacks were too much to overcome in a 9-4 first-round District 62 Tournament of Champions loss.

“From day one, they’ve had heart,” said A’s Manager Pat Axtell. “Today they showed up with heart, and I couldn’t ask any more of them. Our team never gives up.”

The Diamondbacks scored a run in the top of the second inning on a passed ball and added three more runs in the third inning, with Brandon Merchant and Brandon Williams collecting RBI singles.

The A’s weren’t about to roll over, however.

Austin Sheffner opened the bottom of the third with a single to left. After Jesse Alba walked, Stephen Mantei’s single to center field scored Sheffner.

Costa Mesa starting pitcher Liam Shillington added an RBI single to left, scoring Alba and cutting the deficit to 4-2.

“The rally was pretty good,” Shillington said. “Everybody hit and I got a nice hit to left field ... I had fun pitching in the first game of the TOC for us.”

Ocean View added a run in the fourth inning and rallied to put runners on second and third in the fifth.

“Liam got a little tired in the top of the fifth,” Axtell said. “But he’s a great little pitcher. Nine years old, and he’s throwing hard and throwing strikes.”

A’s third baseman Josh Ring relieved Shillington and got out of the jam, getting a double play and ending the inning with a strikeout.

“I knew I had to try to pitch my way out of it,” Ring said.

The A’s began clawing back again in the bottom of the fifth. With runners on first and second, Max Heilig came up with a clutch single to center field, scoring both runners as the ball got past the center fielder.

Down 5-4, Costa Mesa got the bases loaded with one out. But Ocean View reliever Williams got out of the jam by inducing a strikeout and a groundout.

The Diamondbacks scored four more runs in the sixth inning, seemingly putting the game out of reach.

But the A’s were determined to threaten one last time in their final at-bats.

Sheffner led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a walk and advanced to second on a passed ball. With one out, Mantei hit a hard shot that seemed destined for right field.

But Diamondbacks second baseman Roger Lemburg, ranging to his left, snagged the ball and doubled off the runner to end the game.

There weren’t many sad faces after the game, however.

The A’s knew they had done their best and had fun doing it.

“Even though we lost, we played the game well,” Axtell said. “That’s our No. 1 rule, to play hard and have fun, and we did that today.”

Shillington echoed that sentiment.

“I’m really happy about the team, how we did this year,” he said. “We all worked together.”

Second baseman Jack McMenamin made several nice defensive plays for the A’s, who played with no substitutes. Also playing well were catcher Jory Hartshorn and left fielder Andrew Axtell.

Ocean View moves on to play either Fountain Valley No. 1 or Seaview No. 2 in the Minor A Tournament of Champions quarterfinals on Saturday.dpt.15-cmall-3-CPhotoInfoPP1S0DDT20060615j0vti8ncMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Costa Mesa A’s pitcher Liam Shillington delivers to the plate Wednesday.dpt.15-cmall-2-CPhotoInfoPP1S0DBH20060615j0vtjgncMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Costa Mesa American Little League Minor Athletics’ Josh Ring, left, tags out the Ocean View Diamondbacks’ Benjamin Roth, right, at third base in Wednesday evening’s District 62 Tournament of Champions Minors A Division first-round game at the Fountain Valley Little League fields. dpt.15-cmall-4-BPhotoInfoPP1S0G5H20060615j0vtj0ncMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Costa Mesa Athletics’ Jack McMenamin fields a groundball in Wednesday’s District 62 Tournament of Champions game.