Tough road, but Pony All-stars win the title

By Dick Sparrer

Seven games in eight days? That's fine for the San Francisco Giants, or even the San Jose Giants.

But for the Los Gatos Pony League all-stars? Well, it's tough... no doubt about it.

But, as cliché as it may sound, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. And that's just what Los Gatos did in the sectional tournament at the home of the Blossom Valley Pony League at Herman School in San Jose.

Los Gatos had to play seven games in eight days, including five games in six days after falling into the tournament's loser bracket in the early going. Gatos won all five of those games to win the tournament championship.

The local 'stars opened the tourney with a 10-0 win over San Jose Pacific on July 17, but lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to Washington Manor... that's when the marathon began.

Los Gatos returned to the field a day later to beat host Blossom Valley 10-0 and, after a day off on Tuesday, beat San Jose Pacific 13-6 on Wednesday.

Los Gatos was back on the field Thursday, and pounded Morgan Hill 19-9 to move into a Friday rematch with Washington Manor. The locals pulled out a 4-2 win to set up a Saturday championship game, then beat Washington Manor in a 5-4 thriller in the finals.

"I am very proud of everyone," said manager Gary Cook after Los Gatos won the first sectional Pony title in the league's history. "This is a great team, and we hope to represent the town, league and section well in the regional tournament."

Los Gatos will advance to the regionals this week, opening on July 29, 5:30 p.m., at Lou Viera Field against tournament host Santa Clara. The regional winner advances to the West Coast championships in Fullerton, with that winner moving on to the Pony World Series in Pennsylvania.

Los Gatos couldn't have written a more dramatic script in the championship game against Washington Manor. The game was tied 4-4 in the seventh, and Manor was sending up the heart of its batting order to face Gatos hurler Adam Nelson. It took Nelson just eight pitches to retire the side, striking out a pair.

Nelson then led off the bottom of the seventh by blasting a 1-1 pitch over the fence in left-center to give Los Gatos the win.

Dan Dressman had homered in the first inning, his seventh homer of the tournament, but Washington scored two in the first and two in the fourth to lead 4-1.

Gatos tied it in the fifth. Alex Rollin, Kyle Schafer and Nelson each singled to load the bases. Casey Furtado came through with a clutch two-out single to drive in two runs, and Adam Crane followed with a single to knock in Nelson with the tying run.

That set the stage for Nelson's dramatics in the seventh.

Los Gatos had set up the "if necessary" game of the double-elimination tournament with a 4-2 win over Washington a day earlier.

Washington jumped in front 2-0 in the first, but Gatos came battling back. Dressman blasted a home run and also came on as a relief pitcher in the seventh to get the save. Rollin went 61-3 innings to get the win, striking out eight and walking just three.

Furtado had two hits for Los Gatos, and Rollin, Nelson and Bryan Schiefelbein each singled.

Los Gatos got off to a hot start in the tournament, blanking San Jose Pacific in six innings on a combined no-hitter by Rollin and Dressman. Rollin struck out seven in three innings of work, and Dressman fanned three over the final three frames.

Furtado doubled twice and singled for LG. Nelson ripped a three-run homer, and Rollin drilled a two-run double.

Dressman went the distance in the heartbreaker against Manor a day later. Dressman fanned 10 and walked only one.

Los Gatos had just two hits in the loss, doubles by Dressman and Travis Howell.

That loss pushed Gatos into the rugged loser's bracket, but the locals got off to a quick start with a 10-0 win over Blossom Valley in five innings. Rollin and Nelson combined for the one-hit shutout. Rollin whiffed six in three no-hit innings, and Nelson fanned four in two innings of one-hit relief.

Crane roped a three-run homer and finished the day with five RBIs. Dressman also homered in the win, and Schiefelbein, Furtado and James Gentry each doubled.

After a day off Tuesday, Los Gatos returned to the diamond on Wednesday to eliminate San Jose Pacific with a 13-6 win. Nelson was the winning pitcher with four solid innings of relief, and Lucas Harnal closed out the game with two innings of relief work.

Rollin and Furtado led a 12-hit Gatos attack with two hits apiece, and Dressman and Nelson each homered.

Dressman unloaded on Morgan Hill a day later. The slugger hit three home runs to lead Los Gatos to a 19-9 win. Nik Kay pounded two homers for LG, and Howell blasted one.

Furtado had three hits, and Gentry, Andy Betzina and Rollin added two each.

Harnal went 42-3 innings on the hill to get the pitching win.

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