Bonita Killers Smash Section 7, 10U Monster-Slayer Makes History

(Daniel Sánchez of Bonita’s Sweetwater Valley Little League belts a grand slam home run Tuesday during the Southern California Section 7 tournament. In the upper-left corner, the photo shows the ball leaving Sánchez’s bat. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)

Congratulations to 2019 Southern California Section 7 Champion Sweetwater Valley Little League of Bonita !! And, congratulations to Chula Vista American Little League of Chula Vista for making history !! CaliSports News will now provide details of both accomplishments. Plus, CSN shall provide updates below on two other California District 42 teams that won section titles.

First, Sweetwater Valley captured its section’s banner Tuesday with an impressive 15-0, four-inning shutout over Lakeside American Little League of Lakeside. Fletcher Hills Little League in El Cajon hosted the four-day tournament. SVLL finished the tourney with a perfect 3-0 record. The Bonita killers walloped their opponents by a combined score of 46-3. Yes, 46-3 !!!!!

The killers remain undefeated, 7-0, this summer. They outscored their opponents during those seven contests, 112-15. Pure domination. By winning their section, Bonita’s boys qualified as one of only 10 teams that will compete in the upcoming 2019 Little League Southern California Championship tournament. North Mission Viejo Little League in Mission Viejo will host it.

Sweetwater Valley advances to final 10.

Sweetwater Valley opens the double-elimination event on Sat., Jul. 20., against Allied Gardens Little League of San Diego. Just as last year, two San Diego County teams meet on Day 1 of the event. To me, it seems silly to drag them to Orange County, when the kids could square off near Petco Park, and save parents driving time and gas money. Plus, more local fans might attend.

In any event, Sweetwater Valley won Tuesday behind lights outs pitching from ace Ethan Otero, and two huge home runs from Daniel Sánchez. Otero picked up the shutout victory. He pitched all four innings. Otero only gave up four hits, and did not walk anybody. He only threw 55 pitches, so Otero is eligible to start on Saturday against Allied Gardens. Now, let us discuss Mr. Sánchez.

Rockets launched.

This weeks marks the 50th anniversary of the United States sending a rocket to the moon. In honor of that historic event, Tuesday Sánchez fired two of his own rockets to the moon. He blasted the first missile in the second inning for a three-run homer over the right field fence. One inning later, he stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded. Could Daniel do it again? The countdown began. T minus 60 seconds and counting. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blast off!! We have lift off!! Sánchez launched a grand slam over the left field wall!! I kid you not. Dude is on fire. That marked the second time this summer that Daniel hit two dingers in one game. According to him, that is only the second time he did so during his life. Tuesday’s two were special, because with that pair, Sánchez drove in seven RBIs!! Great job, Daniel!! Take a bow!

The Bonita killers earned their spot in the section championship by defeating Imperial Little League of Imperial, 15-3, on Saturday, and then on Sunday, shutting out Spring Valley Little League of Spring Valley, 16-0, in four innings. I attended Sunday’s shutout. Sweetwater Valley played like champions. Its gang of polished studs with deep pitching could prove unstoppable. Bonita’s killers dominated on the mound, in the field, and at the plate. The complete package.

Bonita’s bats blew up Section 7.

In Saturday’s victory, the killers went wild at the plate. Joey Castillo led the way by belting a grand slam home run. Otero blasted his own three-run homer. According to two eye witnesses that spoke with CaliSports News, Otero whacked the ball so hard that it flew over the tall tree-line beyond Fletcher Hills’ left field wall. In all, the killers racked up 16 hits including six doubles. Adrik Sánchez (no relation to Daniel) turned in a stellar pitching performance. He only gave up two runs on two hits and three walks during his 4 1/3 innings. Catcher Leo Mondragón delivered the play-of-the-week. First, he saved a run by tagging out an Imperial runner at the plate, after catching a throw. Then, Mondragón reportedly played a little trick on a runner on second base. The young catcher bluffed as if he were tossing the ball back to Adrik standing on the mound. The ball was still live. The runner fell for that fake throw, and headed to third. Mondragón, still with the ball, then threw to third to nail that runner. Two outs on one play! How about that?

A combined no-hitter.

On Sunday, Andrew Arnce and Joshua Hughes combined for a no-hitter. Arnce pitched phenomenally. He mowed down the opposing lineup. He only needed 36 pitches to complete three innings. Arnce allowed only one batter to reach base. That was on a walk. Hughes shut down the door in the fourth and final inning. Arnce also threw some nasty stuff on Saturday. He pitched the final 1 and 1/3 innings of that contest in relief. Arnce faced four batters. He struck out two of them, and forced the other two into outs. On Sunday, at the plate, the Bonita killers exploded for 10 runs in the third inning. Hughes, Daniel, and Adrik teed off with back-to-back-to-back dingers. Sweetwater Valley’s next two batters reached base. And then it happened. Otero pinched hit with two runners on base. Could he do it again? YES! Another three-run smash over the left field wall !!! Only this time, the young power hitter kept the ball below the tree-line. I think El Cajon residents living in nearby homes appreciated that. After Sunday’s blowout, CaliSports News spoke with Otero. He walked us through his two three-run dingers that he hit in two days.

Win every inning.

“Both days, I was expecting curve balls,” Otero said. “But, they threw fast balls. I tried to hit the ball hard each time.” Otero told CSN that to keep winning, SVLL must play to “win every inning.”

On Sunday, winning every inning pretty much described Otero’s Bonita killers. After the 10-run outburst in the third inning, Sweetwater Valley added five more in the fourth. That is when Adrik smacked his second home run of the night. Way to go, 2-3! Adrik laughed when I said that to him in the parking lot after the game. The killers finished the offense-fest with a whopping 15 hits.

The Bonita killers’ win Tuesday marked 11 straight years that California District 42’s “3-headed monster” won the Section 7 banner. In those prior 10 years, the beast then went on to play in SoCal’s finals six times. Think about that. In six of the past 10 years, one of SoCal’s two best teams represented the Greater Chula Vista area. Are you not impressed? In fact, the monster reached the SoCal finals in each of the past four years! If Sweetwater Valley plays in the finals next week, that will mark five straight appearances for District 42. Is that a big deal? Well, 39 districts compete each year, so one of those 39 dominating five straight years? Uh, yes.

The three-headed monster dominates SoCal.

In addition, the monster won the finals four times in the past six years. Clearly, the road to Albert E. Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino leads through the three-headed beast. To go to the West Region, you must slay the monster. The last SoCal league to do so was Santa Margarita National Little League of Rancho Santa Margarita in 2017. It defeated Chula Vista’s Eastlake Little League in the SoCal finals. Before then, Encinitas Little League of Encinitas slayed the beast in 2014. Prior to that, we must go back to 2012 to find a third SoCal champion whose boundaries failed to extend to the intersection of East H Street and Corral Canyon Road in Chula Vista. I believe that is the corner where the monster’s three heads meet. I may be wrong.

Anyway, the last two teams remaining in SoCal’s tournament will face each other in the finals slated for Sun., Jul. 28. Officials will crown the winner of the finals as champion. That league shall represent SoCal at the 2019 West Region tournament. More on that later. Stay tuned !!

All hail the monster slayer!

Next, congratulations to Chula Vista American’s 10-and-under division all-stars for winning the championships of District 42 and Section 7!! What a year for Chula Vista American!! First, in District 42’s Tournament Of Champions, CVA won titles in Majors, 7U, and 6U. Then, its 10U all-stars slayed the three-headed monster, and captured the section title! All hail the monster slayer!

In two years from now, maybe those same players that compose this year’s 10U roster will follow the three-headed beast’s lead by going on as 12-year-olds to the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, PA. If that does occur, I shall immediately stop using the terms three-headed monster and monster slayer. Instead, I will refer to Chula Vista American, Chula Vista’s Park View Little League, Eastlake, and Sweetwater Valley as the fearsome foursome. Try to stop me.

Girls play baseball.

Chula Vista American’s 10U club made history for another reason. According to a District 42 spokesperson, CVA’s team is the first in any Little League division, at least in the past 10 years, and possibly ever, to win a District 42 title with a female player on its roster. Let us give a big SoCal round of applause to Yaretzi Amésquita Zavala!! Way to go! Congratulations!!

Yari, as she prefers to be called, quickly made headlines this year. In May, the 10-year-old standout became Chula Vista American’s first ever female to pitch in Majors. CVA honored her with the game ball as depicted in the above photo. In June, Zavala was named to that league’s all-stars. According to three unnamed CSN sources working for Chula Vista American, Zavala is CVA’s first female all-star in any of its divisions, at least in the past 10 years, and possibly ever. In July, Zavala made history by winning a District 42 all-stars championship. And on Tuesday, she raised the ante for District 42’s female ballplayers by winning a Section 7 title.

Female makes history.

Chula Vista American’s 10U squad played its Section 7 tournament at Spring Valley’s ballpark. On Sunday, CVA played there at the same time that Spring Valley’s own 12U team faced off in El Cajon against Sweetwater Valley. So, before watching Bonita’s killers, CaliSports News’ Director of Little League drove a few miles to catch up with Zavala before her game in Spring Valley.

Once I arrived, one of Zavala’s longtime coaches, Eric Miranda, introduced me to the young phenom. Yari remained silent. I spoke to her while Yari’s family and Miranda listened in. I started by informing the 10-year-old that she is her league’s first female all-star in 10 years, and probably ever. She smiled. I explained that she is the first girl during that time to win a District 42 championship in any division. Her mouth literally dropped open. I then asked Yari how it feels to learn all of that news. The kid then spoke to me for the first time. She said one word: “Awesome!”

Yari’s entire audience of Miranda, her family, and myself burst out with laughter. Maybe readers needed to be there to appreciate that moment. Miranda offered the following regarding Zavala:

Gives boys a run for their money.

“I have always enjoyed Yari when I was able to coach her. I believe I have had the privilege three times now. She always comes ready to play, and always gives her best effort. She gives most of these boys a run for their money,” Miranda told CaliSports News. Ed Lopez, who managed the Majors team for which Zavala played during this past regular season, agreed with Miranda.

“She is a player that you don’t have to supervise much. She plays hard at practices. Yari will always prepare. She will be prepared to play. She is anxious to get her practice work in with the bat,” Lopez told CSN. Readers should recall Lopez. He is one of the volunteer umpires CSN featured in Let’s Meet District 42’s Men In Blue. In addition, he is the home plate umpire that appears in two of the photos published in 2019 Most Inspirational Player Award Goes To …. Not only that, but Lopez served as the home plate ump in the district championship game discussed in How Sweet It Is For Sweetwater Valley !!. Lopez also umped behind the plate during the contest between Eastlake and Sweetwater Valley discussed in Smoking Sweetwater Valley To Battle Red Hot Park View. Yep. That is Lopez pictured at the top of that article as well. That places Ed in the photos at the top of three CSN articles this summer. Ed is everywhere.

Plays for the love of the game.

Anyway, Zavala started playing baseball at age four, after attending her cousin’s games. “I just wanted to play baseball”, she told CaliSports News. Her cousin is Adriel Vásquez who played on Chula Vista American’s 12U all-stars last year. I watched him play against Sweetwater Valley. Lopez served as that game’s home plate umpire. If Yari attended, what a small world. Finally, I asked Yari what is her goal in baseball. The 10-year-old replied, “I want to hit a home run.”

In a way, Zavala reminds me of another District 42 female standout, Sweetwater Valley’s own Abigail Steffen. Abby bears the honor as her own league’s first-ever female all-star in Majors. And guess what? In that Chula Vista American vs. Sweetwater Valley game that I attended, Steffen played against Vásquez. Again, small world. This year, Steffen reportedly became the first female from any league to play in a District 42 all-star tournament in the Junior division.

Tall pitchers.

Besides being pioneers among female Little Leaguers, I think Zavala and Steffen share much in common. Both are pitchers, and both are tall. Zavala stands in as the tallest player on CVA’s 10U roster. Steffen towered over many of her Sweetwater Valley teammates during the past few years. Zavala is four years younger than Steffen, and is perhaps a younger version of Abby, walking in Steffen’s footsteps. Last year, Abby played in the finals for 12U all-stars, and this year, Abby played in the Junior finals. Had the ball bounced Steffen’s way in either of those finals, instead of Yari, Abby would be the first female to win a District 42 championship.

Speaking of Juniors, congratulations to Park View on winning that division’s Section 7 title !!

And, congratulations to Eastlake on winning the Section 7 title in the 11-and-under division !!

The fearsome foursome strikes!

District 42 is on a roll! Its teams completed a clean sweep of Section 7, winning championships in Junior, 12U, 11U, and 10U !! Amazingly, four different leagues captured those banners. The fearsome foursome strikes! According to a District 42 spokesperson, that marks the first time four of its leagues won Section 7 titles in the same year. Wow! Yet more history is made.

CaliSports News shall continue to provide updates on all District 42 teams still playing in tournaments. So, stay with CSN, SoCal’s undisputed leader in Little League coverage.

Teamwork makes the dream work.

Next, of the eight leagues in District 42 that own Facebook pages, six shared 2019 Most Inspirational Player. CaliSports News thanks everyone that shares our articles. Teamwork makes the dream work. When CSN sent to Eastlake last week’s article featuring Diego Falomir, not only did that league post the story on its Facebook page, but one of its spokespersons sent the following email with permission to publish: “I remember that kid when we played an Intermediate game with him, and he is a great hitter! Thanks for sharing positivity! We need more of that these days,” Christine Decker-Hughes, Eastlake’s Information Officer, wrote to CSN.

Similarly, when CaliSports News sent that same article to South Bay Little League of Chula Vista, that league’s president responded with the following email, again with permission to share:

“I enjoyed your article on Diego from Southwest Little League. My 12-year-old daughter is the same age, so we have been playing against him for about five years now. It’s amazing because he is one of the best players out there! Thank you for covering some of the smaller leagues like Southwest, because our league is very similar,” Mark Englebrecht wrote to CSN.

My nine children.

I hope readers appreciate those emails. For the record, the three-headed beast’s 12U teams that played in the Little League World Series lured me to District 42. No question about that. If not for that monster, I would never know about Falomir. However, now that I cover that district, every league within it, even the smallest ones, share CaliSports News’ attention. I try to treat the nine leagues as I would try to treat nine of my own children. Love each of them. I believe CSN demonstrated that this year with its coverage of district umpires, Falomir, and now Zavala. Plus, later this summer, CSN hopes to present a major story featuring past and present players from several of the district’s leagues, large and small alike. Until then, Let’s Go SoCal !!

Okay kids, Dad shall sign off rocking his snazzy new 2019 edition Sweetwater Valley t-shirt:

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One Comment

1. 

   Leo

   July 18, 2019 at 1:38 pm

   Thanks for writing about me. (Leo Mondragon)