Eastlake Blasts Into SoCal Championship Game !!
- Updated: July 30, 2021
(Xachito MacFarland of Chula Vista’s Eastlake Little League all-stars opens his team’s scoring by belting a first-inning home run, Thursday. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)
It’s official. For the sixth straight time, Little League’s Southern California championship game features an all-star team representing California District 42. Of course it does. CaliSports News often refers to that elite district as “The Little League Capital Of America.” And this year, that Capital might accomplish something even more special. In addition to trying to capture SoCal’s crown for the third straight time, District 42 finds itself in strong position to win two crowns.
Teams from two neighboring leagues in Chula Vista now sit in the driver’s seat. Eastlake and Park View Little Leagues. On Thursday night, each of those two heads of Little League’s famous “Three-Headed Monster” clinched their berth into a Southern California championship game.
Eastlake grabbed a spot in the title game of the Major 12-and-under division. Park View did the same in the Major 11-and-unders. Both of those Chula Vista heavyweights play for a banner on Saturday. And, each awaits a winner of a game scheduled for tonight (Friday). Even if Eastlake or Park View loses on Saturday, that team shall receive a second chance to win a crown on Sunday. Whereas, their opponent must win tonight, on Saturday, and again on Sunday. Hence, District 42’s all-stars enjoy a much smoother path to win a banner than do their opponents.
Beastlake.
One word. Beastlake. That team is a beast. Eastlake is unreal good. As I wrote on Jul. 12, in Eastlake Continues Red Hot Streak, Takes District 42 Crown, “California leagues should get nervous. Eastlake may well prove unstoppable. Be warned!” Yes, CaliSports News warned Beastlake’s opponents. And, CSN was right. On Thursday, the Eastlake monster breathed fire.
For the 11th time this year, that beast played a game. And, for the 11th time, Beastlake won. San Carlos Little League of San Diego became the latest victim. In a battle for San Diego County, the Chula Vista boys beat their neighbors to the north, 5-3. Fountain Valley Little League in Fountain Valley hosted. San Carlos mounted an excellent challenge. That team is very talented, and played extremely well. San Carlos’ boys even led on the scoreboard for a while. But, nothing could stop the monster. Beastlake put together a clutch comeback to take the lead in the fifth inning, and then shut the door down in the top of the sixth to secure a well-earned victory.
DoorDash delivers for Eastlake.
In the bottom of that exciting fifth inning, the home team, Eastlake, came to bat trailing, 3-2. San Carlos walked an Eastlake batter, and hit another with a pitch to put two runners on base. With one out, the drama intensified. Eastlake’s fans started getting loud. Guess who stepped to the plate? The hero from Sunday’s contest. In that game’s sixth inning, Nico Sánchez delivered the game-winning home run. On Thursday, Sánchez once again delivered. Nico singled to rightfield.
His hit drove home the tying run from second base. Sánchez then took second on the throw home. That left runners at second and third with one out. Amazing! That kid consistently comes through in the clutch. I shall start referring to Sánchez as “DoorDash”, because he delivers.
(Nico “DoorDash” Sánchez delivers a big hit, Thursday. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)
“I just wanted to hit, and tie the score,” DoorDash told CaliSports News after Beastlake’s victory. Sánchez did exactly that. The right-handed slugger slapped a low and outside fastball into right-field. Eastlake fans went wild as DoorDash delivered. Nico did not surprise Eastlake’s president.
Calm under pressure.
“He’s got ice in his veins,” Alis Nicolaus told CSN. “Nico is a natural born leader. And, as a catcher, he’s an absolutely fantastic game manager. He calms down the rest of his team.”
DoorDash’s clutch fifth-inning hit set the stage for Beastlake to take the lead. The next batter struck out, but San Carlos’ catcher dropped the third strike. With first base unoccupied, the batter raced towards first. The catcher threw to first. The batter beat the throw, and Ethan Dang who was the runner at third, raced home. Dang scored what turned out to be the winning run.
However, Beastlake was not finished scoring. That is because DoorDash moved to third base on the catcher’s throw to first. And then, it happened. The pitcher launched a wild pitch that ricocheted off of the backstop, and took a wicked bounce. The catcher ran far to retrieve the ball. That allowed Sánchez to score from third. Eastlake suddenly enjoyed a comfortable 5-3 lead.
Strikeouts.
In the top of the sixth, Dang pitched three strikeouts to preserve his win. Dang finished with five strikeouts, and will be available to pitch on Saturday. In fact, every Eastlake player is eligible to pitch in tomorrow’s game (according to my calculations), except for Cody Moseman. “The Cannon” is eligible to pitch on Sunday, should Eastlake get forced to play that day. Like Dang, Moseman, too, threw five strikeouts. Dang relieved Moseman who had replaced Xachito MacFarland. MacFarland struck out all three batters he faced in the second inning, and struck out the first batter of the third inning. Four straight strikeouts. Thus, those three pitchers combined for a whopping 14 strikeouts. In a six-inning game, with only 18 outs, 14 gets it done.
Back-to-back home runs.
Of San Carlos’ other four outs, MacFarland was involved in three. He started a double play, after a batter hit a slow grounder back to the mound. That accounted for two outs. And, while playing at third base, MacFarland caught a sharp line drive. At bat, MacFarland was a beast. In the first inning, he blasted a high-arching home run over straight-away centerfield. Dang batted next. He too blasted a high-archer over that same spot in center. Two straight dingers that looked alike.
(Ethan Dang smacks a home run, Thursday. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)
Eastlake will face the winner of tonight’s showdown between San Carlos and Torrance Little League of Torrance. Torrance earned that spot Thursday by beating Claremont Little League of Claremont, 6-5. Eastlake already beat San Carlos and Torrance. And, Claremont for that matter. So, Saturday’s title game shall serve as a rematch. Eastlake’s opponent must win tonight, Saturday, and on Sunday. They must beat undefeated Eastlake twice. I like Beastlake’s chances.
Park View on fire.
As for Park View, its 11-and-under all-stars remain undefeated. On Thursday, the Chula Vista boys won, 4-3, against West Los Angeles Little League of Los Angeles. Aliso Viejo Little League in Aliso Viejo hosted. Park View awaits the winner of tonight’s game between West LA and Glendora American Little League of Glendora. Just as with Eastlake, Park View only needs to win once. Its opponent needs to win on Saturday and Sunday. I like Park View’s chances.
As for Park View’s Major 10-and-under squad, its amazing run finally ended on Thursday. Those all-stars lost to San Diego’s Scripps Ranch Little League, 11-8. Imperial Beach Little League in Imperial Beach hosted. That Chula Vista team finished tied for fifth-place in Southern California.
In all, District 42’s all-star teams combined so far for a 9-4 record in SoCal’s divisional showdowns. We shall soon learn how far each champion advances. Until then, stay tuned!!
Teamwork makes the dream work.
CaliSports News thanks everyone that shares our articles. Teamwork makes the dream work. On that note, CSN thanks Eastlake and District 42 for sharing my prior article, Eastlake Returns To Beast Mode, Remains Undefeated, on social media. My next article promises to provide the latest updates on Southern California divisional tournament action. Until then, Let’s Go SoCal!!
Stay with CaliSportsNews.com, Southern California’s undisputed leader in Little League coverage, as we keep you up-to-date on all things SoCal sports! All Cali, All the time!
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