Eastlake Machine Keeps Roaring, Park View Collecting Banners
- Updated: July 21, 2021
(Ethan Dang pitches to lead Chula Vista’s Eastlake Little League all-stars to win 2021’s Southern California Section 7 championship, Tuesday. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)
Congratulations to Southern California Section 7 Champion Chula Vista’s Eastlake Little League!
Eastlake’s all-stars are riding an unbelievable roll. They are a machine. After seven games this summer, Eastlake enjoys a perfect 7-0 record. Chula Vista’s boys outscored their opponents during that run by a whopping total of 63-3! That is the equivalent of scoring nine touchdowns with extra points, while only giving up a field goal. On Tuesday, Eastlake clinched its section title by defeating Fletcher Hills Little League of El Cajon, 8-2. Fletcher Hills hosted the contest.
Eastlake’s pitching and defense proved to be lights out throughout the section tournament. In Tuesday’s championship game, Eastlake pitchers Xachito MacFarland and Ethan Dang combined for the win. Each of them only allowed one run. Meanwhile, a team effort produced Eastlake’s offense. Six different players scored runs for the champs. Cody Moseman led the way with a double and a single, and scored a run. Liam Lee added his own double and scored a run.
(Xachito MacFarland on the mound leads Eastlake during Tuesday’s championship game. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)
After the game, Lee received a “Golden Glove” pin from tournament officials. He earned the award by making a diving catch on a line-drive while playing shortstop. That heroic effort got the batter out, and prevented a run. In addition, Lee pitched superbly throughout Eastlake’s streak.
Eastlake smoking hot.
Eastlake opened Section 7’s tournament with a 12-0 shutout, Jul. 17, over Spring Valley Little League of Spring Valley. At that point, Eastlake improved its record to 5-0, with four shutouts, and had outscored its opponents, 50-1. The next day, Chula Vista’s boys faced Fletcher Hills for the first time. Eastlake won, 5-0. That score marked Eastlake’s fifth shutout. The victory boosted Eastlake’s perfect record to 6-0. The win also increased the combined score to 55-1 !! Un-be-lieve-a-ble !! The victory put Eastlake into Tuesday’s championship game. That turned into a rematch against Fletcher Hills. El Centro Little League in El Centro hosted Eastlake’s first two wins in that tourney. Once the host team representing El Centro’s District 22 got eliminated on Jul. 18, officials moved the remainder of the event closer to the leagues that were still competing.
Three-Headed Monster continues its terror.
The reign of Little League’s famous “Three-Headed Monster” over Section 7 continues. Tuesday’s win marks 12 straight Section 7 banners for District 42’s three-headed beast. That monster consists of Eastlake, its Chula Vista neighbor Park View Little League, and neighboring Bonita’s Sweetwater Valley Little League. Each member of that distinguished trio within the past eight years has played in the Little League World Series held in South Williamsport, PA.
(Chula Vista’s Eastlake Little League all-stars pose Tuesday after capturing their Section 7 banner. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)
Eastlake next returns to the Southern California Divisional Tournament. Winners from each of SoCal’s 10 geographical sections will compete starting Sat., Jul. 24. That event continues through Sun., Aug. 1, if necessary. Fountain Valley Little League in Fountain Valley hosts this year’s tourney. Eastlake’s first match is scheduled for Jul. 24, against the winner of the game tonight (Wednesday) between Torrance Little League of Torrance and Lunada Bay Little League of Palos Verdes Estates. The great news for Eastlake is that every player on its roster (according to my calculations) is eligible to pitch on Jul. 24 against tonight’s winner. That is due to Eastlake’s good pitch-count management on Tuesday night. The winner of the Jul. 24 contest will reportedly on Sun., Jul. 25, take on Claremont Little League of Claremont. In 2017, Eastlake moved on to SoCal’s championship game. But, Chula Vista’s boys lost to Santa Margarita National Little League (SMNLL) of Rancho Santa Margarita. SMNLL then continued on to South Williamsport.
Park View captures two more banners.
Next, congratulations to Park View for winning Section 7 banners in two different divisions!
(Chula Vista’s Park View Little League 11-and-under all-stars Tuesday with Section 7 banner. Photo courtesy of Park View Little League.)
That league won titles this year in the Major 11-and-under and 10-and-under divisions. Park View’s 11-and-under all-stars opened on Jul. 17, by shutting out Valley de Oro Little League of Spring Valley, 11-0. The next day, Park View defeated Rancho de Oro Little League of Rancho San Diego. Park View won, 15-2. Tuesday’s championship game saw a rematch. Park View again faced Rancho de Oro. This time, Park View won, 11-0. Jamul Little League of Jamul hosted. Park View next plays in the SoCal tourney for section winners in the 11-and-under division. Park View begins action on Sat., Jul. 24, at Aliso Viejo Little League in Aliso Viejo.
Park View’s 10-and-under all-stars opened on Jul. 17, with a 6-1 victory over Sunbeam Little League of El Centro. The next day, Park View beat Rancho de Oro, 7-1. Yes, the same Rancho de Oro. In fact, Park View’s 10-and-unders squared off against Rancho de Oro’s 10-and-unders at the same time that those two leagues’ 11-and-unders played against each other. But wait, there is more. In Tuesday’s championship game, Park View’s 10-and-unders once again faced Rancho de Oro, at the same time that those two leagues’ 11-and-unders squared off. Wow! In any event, Park View’s 10’s won, 5-3. Imperial Beach Little League of Imperial Beach hosted.
(Chula Vista’s Park View Little League 10-and-under all-stars Tuesday with Section 7 banner. Photo courtesy of Park View Little League.)
Imperial Beach will next host SoCal’s 10-and-under tournament. The 10 section winners in the 10-and-under division will compete. Park View’s first game in that is scheduled for Sun., Jul. 25.
Junior Division madness.
As for Park View’s Junior Division all-stars, they opened with a 5-4 loss to El Centro on Jul. 16. Chula Vista’s boys came back on Jul. 19 with a 14-6 victory over the tournament’s host, Spring Valley Junior League. On Tuesday, Park View again faced El Centro. This time, Park View won, 6-1. Park View plays tonight in a one-game, winner-take-all rematch against El Centro. Tonight’s winner advances to Southern California’s Junior tournament. Two locations shall host that event. They are Santa Anita Junior League in Arcadia, and San Marino High School in San Marino.
We shall soon learn how far those four District 42 champs advance. Until then, stay tuned!!
Where are they now?
Changing the topic, it is time for the latest installment of CaliSports News’ popular segment called, Where Are They Now?, in which we report on former Little Leaguers. Speaking of Park View, congratulations to that league’s former all-star Ben Ramírez! The Seattle Mariners selected him in the 13th round in this year’s Major League Baseball draft. He became the fourth former District 42 player to get drafted this year. American League clubs selected the four. Two from Eastlake, and one each from Park View and Chula Vista American Little League in Chula Vista.
Clutch pitching performance.
Not impressed with District 42? Well, how many former players from your district got drafted? Yeah, I thought so. In last year’s The Monster Feeds The Titans, I mentioned that Ramírez at that time still played for the University of Southern California Trojans. I also reported that he had led Chula Vista’s Eastlake High School Titans. What I should now add is that Ramírez led Park View’s 2011 all-stars. His team won that year’s District 42 championship. In last month’s 2011 Ocean View Little League, SoCal’s Last World Champion, I mentioned that Park View lost a tight contest, 5-4, to the eventual world champion. That ballgame happened in the Southern California semi-finals. Ramírez was Park View’s starting pitcher for that game. He pitched spectacularly.
(Ben Ramírez. Photo courtesy of USC.)
In that contest, Ramírez reportedly completed a no-hit shutout through four innings. Clutch performance. But, he reached the maximum pitch count, and exited from the mound. He also gave himself a lead by belting a home run early on in that game. But, in its final at bat, without having to face Ramírez on the mound, Ocean View rallied for a comeback victory. One never knows. If Park View had held on to preserve that lead, perhaps Ramírez and company instead of Ocean View would have won 2011’s world title. Why not? Park View had won the Little League World Series two years earlier. Ben’s older brother Luke had led that 2009 world champion.
Teamwork makes the dream work.
CaliSports News thanks everyone that shares our articles. Teamwork makes the dream work. On that note, CSN thanks Eastlake Little League and District 42 for sharing last week’s Eastlake Continues Red Hot Streak, Takes District 42 Crown on social media. My next article promises to provide the latest updates on District 42’s championship teams. 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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