TURLOCK – Pitching roulette finally caught up to Turlock American on Saturday.
With Northgate stymied by the Turlock American starter through 1 2/3 innings, Northgate got a break when Turlock American went to the bullpen. Northgate put up seven runs through the next 3 1/3 innings through four more Turlock American pitchers and went on to a 7-4 win in opening-round action of the Little League 9-10 Section 6 All-Star Tournament at Turlock American Little League.
Trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the third, Northgate’s Anthony Sy (2 for 3, run) singled and took second on an error to lead off the frame. Nolan Mix (2 for 2, run) singled to send Sy to third and Sy came in on a single by Fernando Alaniz (2 for 3, double, run). Mix scored on a Noah Calmes groundout and Brandon Pine came off the bench to single in Alaniz for a 3-2 Northgate lead.
Pinch hitter Blake Mount legged out an infield single to lead off the fourth and used single by Sy a pair of wild pitches to come around and score to put Northgate ahead 4-3.
The pitching woes came to a head for Turlock American in the fifth. Running for Pine who led off the inning with an infield single, Kyle Vanarsdell worked his way around on two passed balls and a wild pitch to put Northgate ahead 5-4. Carson Sanders walked, got to third on two passed balls and scored on an infield single by Diego Gonzales to make the score 6-4.
Gonzales scampered all the way around on three wild pitches for the games’ final run.
Northgate 14,
Hoover-Tyler 1 (5)
Alaniz struck out seven and allowed two hits in three innings to lead Northgate to the semifinal victory. Ashton Heath came on in the fourth and struck out one with Calmes closing it out in the fifth.
Alaniz had the big bat as well, hitting a two-RBI ground-rule double and a two-RBI double. Sy had an RBI and a double on three hits with Heath (two RBI), Gonzalez (double), Greggie Adams (three RBI) and Zach Grabowski (stole home) all getting two hits.
Mix (RBI), Calmes (RBI) Carson Sanders and Vanarsdell each had a single.
