Local teams are getting it done at sectionals

MISSION VIEJO — They had done their part as pitchers on the mound.

Then, with two big swings, Justin Mazzone and Tanner Watson did their part at the plate and ended Tuesday’s Little League Section 10 semifinal game.

Mazzone and Watson hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning as Huntington Valley Little League’s 10/11 team topped Laguna Hills, 15-5, at the South Mission Viejo Little League fields to advance to the section championship game.

Huntington Valley played Ladera Ranch at 5 p.m. Wednesday, after press time, needing to win to force a second game at 7 p.m. for all the marbles.

The Ocean View Little League 9/10 All-Stars also played for a section title Wednesday, against South Mission Viejo, after their 12-2 victory over the same club Tuesday.

Mazzone, who finished three for three with two home runs and seven RBIs for Huntington Valley, said he was just trying to get a base hit when he came up with the bases juiced in the third inning.

“The first pitch he threw, I almost got hit, and I didn’t want to get hit,” Mazzone said. “But then I just hit the grand slam and I was so happy and scored all those runs. Then the next time I came up, I hit another one and I was like, ‘Whoa!’ ”

Watson also had a double and had four RBIs for Huntington Valley, which jumped ahead early. Jeremy Dorff, Kobie Anton, Mazzone, Watson and James Morton all reached base and scored in the first inning, staking HVLL to an early 5-0 lead.

Dorff scored four runs for Manager Jim Coburn’s club and added a ground-rule double. Sean Morrissey, in right field, made a diving catch to help end the second inning.

Nathan Hoscoe was two for two for HVLL, Ryan Burke had a double and Jordan Kirkenslager added a hit.

The outburst left Huntington Valley with more to celebrate than just teammate Hank Skolnick’s birthday, although Skolnick also had an RBI single.

“It went really well,” Watson said. “Our defense, we had a couple of errors, but we came back with our bats. We just hit really good, that’s what won us the game, and our pitching, too.”

In previous action, HVLL topped Laguna Hills, 21-11, in the tournament opener behind home runs from Morton, Mazzone, Burke and Kirkenslager. Chase Sawyer had a triple.

Ladera Ranch topped HVLL Sunday, 7-6, despite solid pitching from Morton and Morrissey.

 The Ocean View 9/10 All-Stars defeated South Mission Viejo, 12-2, in five innings in the first Section 10 championship game Tuesday evening at the OVLL fields.

Ocean View had a winner-take-all game for the section title Wednesday evening. The winner advances to the sub-sectional tournament this weekend in San Bernardino.

Hagen Danner pitched the complete game Tuesday for Ocean View, striking out nine. He also went three for four with a double and Justin Cianca was two for three with a double.

In Ocean View’s other games, the squad topped Aliso Viejo, 15-0, in the section opener Saturday but lost to South Mission Viejo, 5-1, on Sunday. Manager Jeff Pratto’s squad then edged Aliso, 6-5, on Monday to advance to the title game.

 The Ocean View Majors All-Star team was eliminated by Rancho Santa Margarita, 10-2, on Monday in the semifinals of the Section 10 Tournament in Anaheim.

Ocean View had lost its opening game to Laguna Hills, 8-4, before topping host East Anaheim, 16-6.

Santa Margarita scored seven runs in the first inning against Ocean View, including a three-run home run by Noah Thompson. Nine of Santa Margarita’s 10 runs in the game were scored with two outs.

“That last out was hard to get the whole game,” Ocean View Manager Tod Minato said. “I give [starting pitcher Stuart Morton] a lot of credit for fighting back like he did. He hung in there.

“We hit the ball hard but we hit it right to them. It just wasn’t our day, but the kids made a great run.”

Ocean View scored its runs on solo home runs by Daniel Amaral and Logan Pouelsen.