Los Gatos, California Since1881
Sports
Tough loss for Los Gatos all-stars By Dick Sparrer It's over for the Los Gatos Little Leaguemajor division all-stars. But the local12-year-olds certainly didn't go down withouta fight, and it was quite a run while itlasted. Los Gatos fought its way out the loser'sbracket in the District 12 all-startournament to make it to the finals againstLincoln Glen at the Branham Hills LittleLeague field. And that last game went rightdown to the final pitch before the localslost it 6-5. Los Gatos went into the last of the sixthtrailing by a run, and the first two batterswere retired quickly on ground balls. But K.C. Silva kept the dream alive with asolid single up the middle, and Paul Politiwalked on four straight pitches to put thepotential tying run at second and the winningrun at first. Andy Gomez then slapped a ground ball tothird, and the Lincoln Glen third sackerbarely got the tag on the elusive Silva forthe game's final out. It was a tough loss for Los Gatos, but it wasan exciting road to the finals for thelocals. Gatos opened with a win over Almaden, butlost a heartbreaking decision to Quito inextra innings a game later. The locals took a6-0 lead into the sixth inning, but Quitotied it 6-6, then won it in the eighth on agrand slam. Los Gatos had to fight back through theloser's bracket with wins over Saratoga andAlmaden to get another shot at Quito. And thelocals got a little revenge with a grand slamof their own. Garrett Blackwell and Silva walked to openthe game for Los Gatos and Politi singled toload the bases. Nick Kalpin unloaded thesacks an out later with a grand slam to giveGatos a 4-0 lead. Quito battled back, but came up a run short,losing 4-3. "The games have been exciting," said LosGatos manager Mike Silva prior to the titlegame. And it proved no different in thefinals. Los Gatos fell behind 2-0 in the second, butthe locals answered right back with a run inthe home half of the inning, then three morein the third. Gomez singled and Kalpin walked to open thebottom of the second. Robbie Comeau crushed aline drive off the left field fence, but itwas hit so hard that only Gomez could scoreand Comeau could only get a single. LincolnGlen hurler Charlie Findeisen then struck outthe side to get out the jam. But Los Gatos came right in the third.Blackwell singled and raced all the way tothird when Silva reached on an error. Politisingled home a run before Gomez reached on afielder's choice, forcing Silva at third. Moments later, Lincoln Glen catcher DaveDeCecco caught Politi dancing too far offsecond and gunned him for the second out.That play would turn out to be a big one whenKalpin followed with a double down the leftfield line. But Comeau followed with another line shotdouble to left, chasing home two runs to putLos Gatos on top 4-2. Lincoln Glen tied it with two runs in thefourth, then scored two more in the fifth togo up 6-4. Gatos chipped away with a run in the fifth.Politi walked and, an out later, Kalpinwalked. Comeau was hit in the helmet with apitch to load the bases. Jackson Dallas lineda shot to right that appeared headed forextra bases. But the right fielder made thecatch, and Dallas had to settle for asacrifice fly, driving home Politi. That set the stage for the sixth inningexcitement, but Los Gatos came up a runshort. Comeau led an eight-hit Los Gatos offensiveattack with a single and a double. Blackwell,Silva, Politi, Gomez, Kalpin and Mike Denevialso had hits for the locals. Politi had two hits and Kalpin busted thegrand slam in the 4-3 semifinal win overQuito. Silva and Tim Trobbe also had hits forLos Gatos. Gomez allowed just two hits in five-plusinnings to get the win in the 2-0 win overAlmaden a game earlier. Los Gatos provided Gomez all the offense heneeded with two runs in the second. Kalpindoubled to center and raced home on Comeau'sdouble to right center. Dallas then singledup the middle to drive home Comeau. Blackwell, the club's catcher, and Denevi,the second baseman, were singled out foroutstanding defensive plays in the win.Trobbe, Silva and Niki Chow also played welldefensively. Blake Morrison and Dallas combined to toss aone-hit shutout in the 5-3 win over Saratogaa game earlier. Morrison allowed just a hitin five innings of work to get the win, andDallas came on to get the save with an inningof no-hit relief. Gatos scored two runs in the top of the sixthto break a 3-3 tie. Comeau started things with an infield hit.Comeau took second on a passed ball, thenmoved to third on Trobbe's bunt single.Trobbe stole second to put runners at secondand third. Dallas followed with a chopper to short thattipped off the infielder's glove, allowingComeau to score. Dallas kept running on theplay, and when Saratoga threw to second totry to get him, Trobbe alertly romped homewith an insurance run. Gatos had scored a run in the first on hitsby Silva and Gomez, a run in the second whenChow and Comeau reached on errors and anotherrun in the third when Gomez reached on anerror, Kalpin singled and Comeau doubled. Members of the 12-year-old all-star team forLos Gatos included Blackwell, Chow, Comeau.Kevin Connelly, Dallas, Denevi, Gomez,Kalpin, Morrison, Politi, Silva, Trobbe,Danny Wall and Karlo Winkelman. The club was managed by Mike Silva and MikeDenevi and Bill Gomez were his coaches. |
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