Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Pirates win a title, but need one more

By Dick Sparrer

One title's been decided, but another is yet to be determined this spring in the Los Gatos Little League major division.

The Pirates wrapped up the regular season title in the division with a 16-1 record heading into their final game.

But the Bucs will have their work cut out for them as they attempt to back up that championship with a title in the league tournament.

All 10 teams in the division enter play May 28 in a double-elimination tournament that will determine the Los Gatos entry in the District 12 Tournament of Champions.

The Pirates would have been the odds-on favorites had it not been for an injury sustained by Chris Eagen two weeks ago. Eagen, a top pitcher and hitter for the Pirates, suffered a broken arm and is out for the year.

The Bucs sustained their only loss of the season following the injury when they dropped a tough 3-2 decision to the Padres. But the Pirates fought back to beat the Pads 6-2 in action last weekend.

Still, manager Randy Frey expects that his Pirates will have their work cut out for them as they shoot for a berth in the tournament finals set for June 10 at John Baggerly Field at Blossom Hill Park.

Tournament play begins May 28 and runs daily through June 10. An if necessary game is slated for June 12.

The Pirates enter the tourney as the No. 1 seed based on their regular season championship.

They nailed a 6-2 win over the Padres last weekend. Trent Edwards struck out eight in four no-hit innings and Nick Russell went the final two frames to lead the Bucs to the victory.

Trevor Branon ripped a solo homer to lead off the game for the Pirates. An inning later, Hans Jorgensen walked and scored ahead of Branon on his second homer of the game.

Eric Brown ripped a two-run homer in the first for the winners and Edwards singled and doubled.

Ryan Johnson had the only hit of the game for the Padres.

The Padres had opened the week with a 3-2 win over the Pirates. Matt Cookes and Bryan Schiefelbein tossed three innings apiece in the win, combining for 11 strikeouts. Evan McDonald walked and scored when Darien Hirotsu reached on an error for the Pads' first two runs, and they added two more unearned runs later in the game.

Edwards singled and doubled and Brown had two hits in the loss.

The Indians clinched the No. 2 spot in the playoffs with an 11-0 win over the Yankees. Daniel Holtzman and Jason Furia combined for a four-hit shutout in the win. Holtzman fanned seven and Furia struck out three. Holtzman ripped two doubles and Andrew O'Gorman and Matt Miguel each doubled.

Brandon Brigham had two hits for the Yanks.

The Indians had ripped the Yankees 13-5 a couple of days earlier. Holtzman singled, doubled and homered and Sean Pinner doubled and singled twice in the win. David Holtzman singled and doubled and Furia added two hits.

Brent Casper and Matt Rose had two hits apiece and Nik Kay doubled for the Yankees.

Luke Alioto and Adam Nelson each doubled for the A's.

The Cubs edged the Indians 2-1 in seven innings in an earlier game. Travis Howell singled home Charlie Clarke in the bottom of the seventh to lift the Cubs to the win.

Howell, Clarke and Stephen Sweeney combined to pitch the Cubs to the victory. Sweeney singled and doubled and Clarke had two hits.

The Cubs battled back for back-to-back wins over the Giants.

William Lampe raced home on a double by Kevin Credelle in the bottom of the sixth to lift the Cubbies to an 8-7 win over the Giants. Sweeney singled and doubled, Clarke had two hits and Ryan Presley doubled for the winners.

Devon Schrock singled, tripled and ripped a two-run homer in the sixth for the Giants. Chris McMorrow and Alex Rollins each singled and doubled and Kris Zanotto had two hits in the loss.

A two-run double by McMorrow and a run-scoring single by Brian Desmarais helped the Giants jump out to a 3-0 lead in the first, but the Cubs battled back for a 6-3 victory.

Howell and Clarke handled the pitching chores and Sweeney and Danny Politi each doubled to lead the bat attack in the win.

Zanotto singled and tripled in the loss.

The Rangers two-timed the Expos, winning 9-3 and 10-6.

Scott Stephenson went the distance, striking out six, to lead the Rangers to the 9-3 win. Adam Rude doubled and tripled, John Peterson and Tyler Doyle had two hits apiece and Alex Anderson doubled.

Consecutive singles by Brent Tanguay, J.P. Bellotti, Geno Gingery and Nick Nino accounted for all three Expos runs in the fourth.

Stephenson doubled twice and Rude and Peter Baunach had two hits apiece in the Rangers' 10-6 win over the Expos. Jeff Oleson was 2-for-2 in the loss.

David Hasson singled and hom-ered and Brandon Burks and Blake Garrett each singled and doubled to lead the Marlins to a 6-3 win over the A's. Garrett went the distance for the win, striking out 11.

Los Gatos Little League major division standings: Pirates 16-1, Indians 12-6, Padres 12-6, Giants 11-6, Rangers 10-8, Cubs 8-10, A's 7-10, Expos 5-13, Mariners 5-12, Yankees 2-16.