Mesa advances to first championship

WESTMINSTER — Listen up!

Someone outside yelled to a bunch of 11- and 12-year-olds in the dugout occupied by the Costa Mesa National Major All-Stars.

Manager Rob Stillman began to deliver his post-game speech Saturday afternoon before being interrupted at Johnson Middle School in Westminster.

Much to say after Costa Mesa beat Seaview, 6-3, to advance to the District 62 Little League championship.

“I think our league has been in existence 12, 13 years and this is the first time we’ve ever [advanced] for any division,” said Stillman, not knowing he grabbed every player’s attention, so he said it again later. “This is just the first one.”

There’s more to come for unbeaten Costa Mesa.

Stillman said his team is excited to play Robinwood Monday at 5:30 p.m. at Robinwood Little League, located behind Marina High in Huntington Beach.

“Best of three [series],” said Stillman, who used his best, 13 players, to Seaview’s only nine.

A disadvantage for Seaview, but Stillman viewed it as helping Seaview Coach Tom Gentile.

“They don’t have to worry about substitutions,” Stillman said.

Gentile had just enough players to put a team on the field.

Gentile lost three players before the game started. Then he lost the game and wasn’t in a mood to talk after Costa Mesa celebrated.

“We’re leaving,” he said. “We have nothing to say.”

Gentile avoided the interview almost as quick as he did with a line drive during the game. Probably the game’s most stunning play, when he leaped as the third-base coach to avoid getting struck by a foul.

The coach dodged the pain, but he felt it in the top of the sixth inning.

A 2-2 tie turned into a 6-2 advantage for Costa Mesa. Two of his pitchers walked four of the next five batters, forcing in a run to give Costa Mesa a one-run lead and it loaded the bases again.

Ben Beck came up, knowing the new pitcher would serve it up near the strike zone. He did and Beck drove in two runs with a single to left, all to Stillman’s approval.

“He struck out the first two times up,” Stillman said. “He redeemed himself.”

The next batter also played a big part in the victory.

Jesse Paz was 9 for 10 in the tournament before putting Costa Mesa up by four runs with an infield single.

A .909 batting average isn’t too shabby, not perfect, though. At least his prediction before the semifinal game was perfect, “I thought we were going to [win].”

Teammates listened to Paz.

Ryan West, who has been 5 for 6 in the District 66 All-Stars Tournament, scored three runs for Costa Mesa.

In other action, the Costa Mesa National 10-11-year-olds were eliminated from the District 62 Tournament, losing, 3-0, to Seaview.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.