LATHROP – It was almost like the Spreckles Park 9-10-year old all-star team had no way of continuing its season, after looking overmatched and trailing Northgate Little League 4-0 with only nine outs remaining.
Turned out Spreckles would only need six of those nine outs, posting a dramatic come-from-behind 10-5 win in the District 67 All-Star Tournament at Mossdale Park Thursday.
Mason James came to the plate in the bottom of the fourth and smashed a pitch into right field that got passed the Northgate right fielder, James’ hustle around the bags turned a double into Spreckles Park’s first run and the squad would not look back.
They would go on to send 11 batters to the plate, with James continuing his assault on the baseball with a two-RBI double down the right field line for Spreckles Park’s first lead of the game. The six-run fourth forced Northgate to try to get multiple runs back off Spreckles reliever Jamille Grady.
Grady wouldn’t cooperate, holding Northgate hitless the rest of the way and assuring his Spreckles Park teammates a shot at Tracy American “A”, who anxiously watched the final innings from behind the backstop after eliminating Lathrop Little League.
Everything that could go right did for Northgate through the first four frames. Danny Marquez plated a run in the first and then kept the Spreckles Park lineup off balanced in its first three trips. Northgate collected back-to-back RBI singles from Matthew Pikkay and Marquez for what seemed like an insurmountable four-run lead.
The Northgate could not answered with a run in the fifth, but that would be all.
Spreckles Park just continued to pour it on, posting another big inning with five hits and four runs, including a rally-starting pinch-hit from Diego Durante. Durante collected his base hit and then stole second to get in scoring position. Josh Tanner then drove him in collecting the first of Spreckles’ four insurance runs.
Harrison Heath collected an RBI base hit for Northgate in the first, on his way to a 2 for 3 day at the plate. Pilkay was 2 for 2 with a run scored, while teammate Marquez reached base three times and scored twice in the loss.
Now Spreckles will have to knock off Tracy American “A” today at 6 p.m. to earn a shot at the District 67 title. Salida and Tracy National “B” will play their winners bracket contest today as well, with the loser meeting up with the Spreckles-Tracy American “A” winner Saturday at 10 a.m.
Tracy jumped out with three runs in the first and added a single run in the second before breaking the game open. Lathrop was able to muster a run with its season on the line when David Reyes reached on an error and came around to score the team’s lone run in the mercy-shortened final inning.
Turned out Spreckles would only need six of those nine outs, posting a dramatic come-from-behind 10-5 win in the District 67 All-Star Tournament at Mossdale Park Thursday.
Mason James came to the plate in the bottom of the fourth and smashed a pitch into right field that got passed the Northgate right fielder, James’ hustle around the bags turned a double into Spreckles Park’s first run and the squad would not look back.
They would go on to send 11 batters to the plate, with James continuing his assault on the baseball with a two-RBI double down the right field line for Spreckles Park’s first lead of the game. The six-run fourth forced Northgate to try to get multiple runs back off Spreckles reliever Jamille Grady.
Grady wouldn’t cooperate, holding Northgate hitless the rest of the way and assuring his Spreckles Park teammates a shot at Tracy American “A”, who anxiously watched the final innings from behind the backstop after eliminating Lathrop Little League.
Everything that could go right did for Northgate through the first four frames. Danny Marquez plated a run in the first and then kept the Spreckles Park lineup off balanced in its first three trips. Northgate collected back-to-back RBI singles from Matthew Pikkay and Marquez for what seemed like an insurmountable four-run lead.
The Northgate could not answered with a run in the fifth, but that would be all.
Spreckles Park just continued to pour it on, posting another big inning with five hits and four runs, including a rally-starting pinch-hit from Diego Durante. Durante collected his base hit and then stole second to get in scoring position. Josh Tanner then drove him in collecting the first of Spreckles’ four insurance runs.
Harrison Heath collected an RBI base hit for Northgate in the first, on his way to a 2 for 3 day at the plate. Pilkay was 2 for 2 with a run scored, while teammate Marquez reached base three times and scored twice in the loss.
Now Spreckles will have to knock off Tracy American “A” today at 6 p.m. to earn a shot at the District 67 title. Salida and Tracy National “B” will play their winners bracket contest today as well, with the loser meeting up with the Spreckles-Tracy American “A” winner Saturday at 10 a.m.
Tracy American “A” 11, Lathrop 1
LATHROP – The Lathrop 9-10-year-old All-Star team was able to keep it close over the first two innings, but a huge seven-run Tracy third inning spelled the end of Lathrop’s season in a 11-1 loss Thursday.Tracy jumped out with three runs in the first and added a single run in the second before breaking the game open. Lathrop was able to muster a run with its season on the line when David Reyes reached on an error and came around to score the team’s lone run in the mercy-shortened final inning.
