VALLEY SPRINGS – The Northgate 10-11 All Star team pushed powerful Turlock American to the brink Tuesday but came up short as Turlock American won 7-6 in the championship game of the Little League District 6 All Star Tournament at Duke Powers Field.

 “The kids were great this year again,” said Northgate coach Chad Lill, who brought the 9-10 all stars to Valley Springs in 2014 and lost in the championship game.  “It is a bummer we ended up losing it in the championship game again but this is a heck of a squad and I am proud of every one of those boys on that team.”

 Turlock American won its first two games of the tournament by a combined score of 31-12 but needed a two-run home run in the fifth inning by Dylan Fuller (3 for 3, double, home run, two RBI) to break a 5-5 tie. Luke Weaver (2 for 2, double) led off the bottom of the fifth with a double and came in to score on Willie Segura’s double to make the score 7-6.

 Benny Slaughter had a two-out single for Northgate in the bottom of the sixth, but a strikeout to the next batter ended the game and Northgate’s season.

Carlos Alvarez had the big hit of a three-run third inning with a two-run home run that scored Weaver. Anthony Flores tied the game at 5-5 later in the inning when he took third on a wild pitch and came home when the throw to third sailed into left field.

 Alvarez got Northgate on the board in the first inning when he stole home as Segura was drawing a throw to second on a steal attempt. Slaughter reached on a fielder’s choice in the second inning that plated Nolan Calmes and drew Northgate within 4-2.

 

9-10

Atwater 8, Northgate 7

Atwater took a 6-0 lead after two innings Monday and held on for the consolation win at Morada Little League in Stockton.

 In the bottom of the second Northgate rallied for five runs with Anthony Avelar, Ivan Vieira, Luke Abrew, Noah Calmes and Tyler Toste all scoring in the frame.

 Atwater added another run in the third and fourth innings to take a 8-5 lead but Northgate bounced back in the bottom of the fifth, just not quite far enough.

 Tyler Looney led off the Northgate fifth with a single followed by walks to Ivan Alvarez and Noah Calmes to load the bases with one out. A single by Toste scored Looney and a Nicholas Ridgwell ground out scored pinch runner Avelar to come within 8-7.

 Looney reached in the bottom of the sixth but was left stranded at first.