VALLEY SPRINGS – Willy Segura pitched two shutout innings for Northgate before taking his defensive prowess to the infield Sunday where he made three spectacular plays at shortstop to help lead Northgate to a nail-biting 11-9 win over Turlock American in the Section 6 Little League 9-10 Year-Old All-Star Tournament at Duke Powers Field hosted by Foothills Little League.

 Segura got himself out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning with a strikeout and set the side down in order in the second behind two more strikeouts. In the third inning with three across for Turlock with no out and a runner on first, Segura helped slow down the opposition when he fielded a sharp grounder, stepped on second and fired to first for the double play.

 In the fifth inning with one out and a runner on second, Segura covered a deflection off of the third baseman and got the ball to first in time for the putout. With the runner having moved to third, Segura ended the frame when he dove to catch a fly ball in center field. He had a two-RBI triple, walking three times and scoring twice.

 Northgate took advantage of six walks to go out to a 3-0 first-inning lead. An RBI single by Ryan Vanarsdell, a double by Carlos Alvarez and Segura’s two-RBI triple in the fourth inning helped lead to five runs in the fifth inning and an Evan Jeffery double and a Luke Weaver RBI single were part of a three-run fifth for Northgate that offset a three-run sixth for Turlock.

 The win pits Northgate against Linden today at 5 p.m. Linden beat Northgate on Saturday 8-3 in opening-round action. Weaver had a two-RBI single for Northgate in the third inning Saturday. 

 

Juniors

Pleasanton 6,
Spreckels Park 1

 No stranger to playoff baseball after making it to the World Series in  the 50/70 division in 2013, Pleasanton jumped out to a 3-0 first-inning lead Saturday in opening-round action of the Nor Cal Division II Tournament in Palo Cedro and was never threatened.

 Rafael Diaz stopped the bleeding for Spreckels Park, coming on in relief to work for 3 2/3 shutout innings, allowing just two hits.

 Chase Sperbeck singled for Spreckels Park in the sixth inning and then stole second and third before coming home on an overthrow.

 Spreckels Park continues the tournament today in an elimination game.