The Orcutt American Little League Red Sox trailed 5-2 going into the bottom of the third inning Saturday. Then the Red Sox kept hitting.
The Orcutt American representative scored five unanswered runs and came away with a 7-5 win over the Orcutt National Giants at Joe Nightingale School for the Orcutt Major Division championship of the Elks Orcutt/Santa Maria Championship series.
The Red Sox moved into the Elks Santa Maria Valley Major Division championship game against the Santa Maria Westside Dodgers, who won the Santa Maria championship. At press time Monday, the teams were set to play at 5:30 p.m., with opening ceremonies set for 5 p.m., at Joe Nightingale School. Joe Nightingale School is Orcutt American’s home site.
Max Parker snapped a 5-5 tie and singled in the winning run in the bottom of the fourth inning for the Red Sox Saturday. Ezra Velazquez homered over the left field fence in the fifth for the final run.
Velazquez hit seven home runs during the regular season. The homer Saturday was his first of the post-season. The catcher was the Red Sox game MVP.
“Really, it could have gone to any one of five players,” said Red Sox manager Junior Hernandez.
When it comes to hitting, “Really, they’ve been pretty good all season,” Hernandez said of his players.
“Everybody from the top half of the lineup to the bottom half has produced.”
The Red Sox and Giants each made it to the Orcutt championship game by winning a regular season league championship.
The first pitch to Velazquez in the fifth wasn’t exactly where Velazquez expected it to be. He hit it out of the park anyway.
“The pitch was actually pretty much in the middle of the strike zone,” Velazquez said.
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“I was expecting the pitch to be high because I’m friends with the (Giants) pitcher, and he knows I have trouble hitting high pitches.”
The Giants moved ahead quickly Saturday with three runs in the first inning. Dave Grindy singled in the first run. Landon Smith scored on a passed ball, and Elias Rosas came home on a wild pitch.
The Red Sox pulled within 3-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Parker came home on a Niko Hernandez ground ball, and Hernandez reached base on an error on the play. Hernandez scored on a Michael Garza ground out to first.
The Giants scored twice in the third. Smith and Grindy both drew a bases loaded walk.
The Red Sox tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the third. Velazquez singled home one run then Garza doubled home two more to tie the score.
Niko Hernandez was the Red Sox starting third baseman. He came on as a relief pitcher at the start of the third inning. After the Giants scored their two third-inning runs, Hernandez pitched shutout, hitless ball the rest of the way.
Orcutt National Yankees 7, Orcutt American A’s 4
The Yankees won the Orcutt Minor Division championship at Joe Nightingale School Saturday. Yankees second baseman Riley Fuhring handled ground balls for the first and third outs of the sixth, and final, inning. Yankees third baseman Luca Garcia fielded a ground ball for the second out.
At press time Monday, the Yankees were set to play the Santa Maria Westside Rangers, the Santa Maria champion, at 5:30 p.m. that night at Joe Nightingale School for the Elks Santa Maria Valley Minor Division championship. Opening ceremonies were set for 5 p.m.
Jaxon Levy gave the Yankees a lift early Saturday when he doubled and scored in the first inning.
