Publication Date: Friday, June 03, 2005
YOUTH BASEBALL
Early showdowns set in Little League tourney
Early showdowns set in Little League tourney
(June 03, 2005) Palo Alto City tournament heads into first weekend of annual event
by Keith Peters
Until today, National Division champion Edwards Luggage has been a spectator in the 2005 Palo Alto Little League Majors City Tournament. That changes when Edwards gets its first action of the double-elimination event at Middlefield Park today at 5:30 p.m.
Edwards meets Lions Club, which finished the regular season in fourth in the American Division. Lions Club advanced to today's game with a 6-5 victory over PASCO on Wednesday.
The rest of the tournament resumes Saturday with three elimination games beginning at 11:30 a.m. at Middlefield Park.
The only set matchup for Saturday is between LPM and Palo Alto Venture at 2 p.m. Opponents for PASCO at 11:30, and Palo Alto Sport Shop were to be determined Thursday night in games featuring Hagemann against In2Change at Hoover Park and Alhouse against Hengehold at Middlefield Park, both at 5:30 p.m.
In2Change and Hengehold received first-round byes after winning or tying for regular-season league titles. Consider Edwards Luggage as receiving a first-round bye and a half.
Advancing to second-round winner-bracket games are Bike Connection and Lions Club. Both moved on in different fashion following opening-round victories Wednesday.
Bike Connection left no doubt in its game, a 15-5 romp over LPM as the winners pounded out 17 hits at Middlefield Park. Kevin Anderson had four hits in as many at-bats while Owen Lewis, Sam Maliska, Jack Smale, Mark Raftery and Jack Witte all added two hits. Jimmy Smale contributed a double.
That was more than enough for Anderson and Maliska, who combined pitching talents to limit LPM to just four hits. Bike Connection next will play at Middlefield Park on Sunday at 3:30 p.m., against the winner of today's Lions Club-Edwards Luggage game.
At Hoover Park, Lions Club went the opposite direction and squeaked by against PASCO. Will Eschere and Alessandro Blandino cracked two hits apiece for Lions Club while Conner Raftery produced a home run in a losing cause.
Thursday's winners advance to a quarterfinal game Sunday at Middlefield Park at 1 p.m.
The tournament got underway on Tuesday with Hagemann Concrete and Alhouse taking the first steps toward the championship game on June 11 at Middlefield Park.
At Middlefield Park, Hagemann used some solid hitting to defeat Palo Alto Sport Shop, 11-6. Asher Kron ripped a three-run triple for Hagemann while Alex Wong, Chris Bisbee and Kevin Kannappan each had two doubles for the winners, who finished the regular season with a 5-13 mark in the National League. Sport Shop was 8-10 in the American League.
Jack Hannan hit a solo home run for Sport Shop.
At Hoover Park, Alhouse downed Palo Alto Partners, 11-1, as Max Schmarzo and Christoph Bono each slammed home runs. Evan Coutre pitched three scoreless innings for the winners, who finished the regular season 9-9 in the National League. Palo Alto Partners were 3-15 in the American League.
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