July 07, 2004

Back to the table of Contents Page

Classifieds

Palo Alto Online

Palo Alto 13s win District 6 tourney

by Rick Eymer

Jeff Thomas had to be a little bit tired by the time he came to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning in Sunday's championship game of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old District 6 all-star tournament.

Thomas was catching his third game in five days for Palo Alto, and had been on base in each of his three previous trips to the plate.

With the game on the line, however, Thomas delivered. His two-run triple scored the go-ahead runs and Palo Alto beat San Mateo, 11-9, to defend its district title and advance to the state tournament beginning Saturday in Antioch.

Palo Alto beat Belmont, 9-1, in the first round last Wednesday and topped Mountain View, 5-1, in Friday's semifinals.

In the championship game, San Mateo scored four runs in the top of the sixth to take a 9-7 lead before winning pitcher Travis Burdette could quell the rally. That set the stage for Palo Alto's come-from-behind victory.

Burdette was safe on an error and Sam Knapp singled ahead of Thomas. Taylor Umphreys added an RBI single for the final margin.

Umphreys and Thomas each drove in three runs in the game.

Ryan Sakowski, Steve Burk and Matt Hornberger also drove in runs for Palo Alto.

Zal Dordi turned in a solid all-around performance with three runs scored, two stolen bases and, perhaps, making the defensive play of the game with a great catch in the third inning, robbing the San Mateo cleanup hitter of extra bases. Knapp also scored three runs.

Knapp, the winning pitcher, and Andrew Chen combined on a three-hitter in Palo Alto's win over Mountain View.

Dordi drove in two runs and Hornberger had two hits and an RBI in the victory.

Palo Alto scored twice in the top of the second to take charge of the game. Knapp singled to left field to lead off. Two outs later, Thomas walked and stole second. Knapp scored when Burdette's hit to first base was mishandled. After Ian Tolle walked to load the bases, Dordi walked to force home a run.

Hornberger's single in the fifth made it 3-1, and Palo Alto added two runs in the sixth.

Knapp had two hits and Hornberger scored two runs in the opening win over Belmont. Burk, Tolle and Drew Winn combined on a two-hitter, with Tolle getting credit for the victory as Palo Alto exploded for three unearned runs in the fourth.

Will Holder, Mike Rizza, Knapp and Hornberger drove in runs against Belmont.

The 15-year-old District 6 Babe Ruth tournament began on Tuesday night at Baylands Park as Palo Alto played Belmont in a late game.

That tournament continues with games at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Wednesday, and at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Palo Alto opens the 14-year-old District 6 Tournament against Belmont on Thursday at 5 p.m. at McKelvey Park in Mountain View.
Western Baseball Association

The Palo Alto Oaks (9-1) moved into first place in the Stan Musial Division with a doubleheader sweep, 9-8 and 13-1, of the previously undefeated San Jose Twins on Sunday at Baylands Park.

Pinch runner Andrew Hansen scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth of the first game.

With one out, Nick Duran drew a walk and was replaced on the bases by Hansen. Art Battle then drilled a single down the right field line, and Hansen was able to score when the relay throw was mishandled at second base.

Gabe Duran doubled in Jefferson Bradshaw with the tying run in the eighth as the Oaks rallied from a four-run deficit.

Sean Scott earned the win with three innings of relief, striking out five and walking two.

Gabe Duran had three doubles, while Phil Girouard also had three hits. Jimmy Goethals, Greg Matson, Battle, Scott, and Gary Mullins each had two hits.

Matson threw a four-hitter in the second game as the Oaks scored 13 runs in the first three innings. Gabe Duran drove in four runs and Goethals drove in three.
American Legion

Palo Alto Post 375 won two of three games at the Western States Classic at St. Mary's College and Diablo Valley College over the weekend.

Palo Alto beat Redwood City Post 105, 8-4, and the Lafayette Generals, 11-10, but lost to Santa Clara, 4-3.

Redwood City also lost to Hawaii, 11-3.

Jason Kleinhoffer had three hits and drove in four runs in Palo Alto's win over Redwood City. Ryan Baukol drove in two runs.

Ty Finley had three hits and Nathan Adelman added two hits for Redwood City.

In the win over Lafayette, Baukol and John Picazo each had two hits and drove in two runs.
Little League

Palo Alto National and Palo Alto American both need to win on Wednesday to stay in the hunt for the championship of the District 52 Majors 11-12 all-star tournament at Sea Cloud Park in Foster City.

PA National, a 15-4 winner over Highlanders on Saturday, meets San Carlos on Field B5 while PA American, which beat Pacifica National 13-1 on Saturday, plays Pacifica American on Field B3. Both games start at 5:30 p.m.

Should both teams win, they would play each other on Friday at 5:30 p.m.

Menlo-Atherton and Alpine were also still alive in the loser's bracket of the tournament and played on Tuesday night. If both teams won, they would meet each other on Friday at 5:30 p.m.

Wade Hauser had two hits and drove in five runs in PA National's win over Redwood City Highlanders. Scott Witte was the winning pitcher. Clay Robbins added three hits.
Pony League

The WAMP eight-under all-stars defeated Lakewood Pony, 16-4, to win the Peninsula/North San Jose sectional title.

The team, which consists of players from Woodside, Atherton, Menlo Park and Portola Valley, advanced to the Pony Northern California tournament in Brentwood, which began on Tuesday night.

Scott Evans drove in five runs in the championship game.

Other members of the team include Alex Andrighetto, Landon Baty, Peter Bouret, Mickey Diekroeger, Nicholas Hidalgo, Brian Jaggers, Cameron Kirkpatrick, Robert Larson, Matthew Myers, Parker Schultz, Grant Stewart and Adam Yecies.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.