Southern California And Utah Bat Their Way To Victory

Day 2 of the Little League West Regionals continued this morning, as Utah piled the runs in the last three innings of play, to comeback and take the game from Arizona.

More from LA Sports

• Lakers: 5 Players to Target Through Trades to make another championship run
• LA Sports: Ranking The Best Years in Los Angeles Sports History
• Los Angeles Lakers: 3 Reasons Fans Should Be Concerned Going Into the Playoffs
• Los Angeles Lakers vs. Clippers: Three takeaways from face-off No. 4
• NFL: Pair of LA wide receivers crack NFL’s 2020 Top 100 list

Arizona took the lead early with back to back singles from Aiden Phan and Michael Martinez to put them on first and second. Carter Wilson then singled to center field for the first run of the game, but it didn’t last long until Utah answered back.

In the following inning, Utah responded with a big inning as Jackson Ence tied the game at one, with a single to bring in Easton Rigby. Landon Frei after cleared the bases with a 3-run homer to right field.

From then on, Arizona didn’t have an answer for Landon Frei, as he shutdown Arizona’s offense. It also didn’t help that Utah kept on adding to their lead.

Once again the Sweetwater Valley Little League (Southern California team) played in the second game of the second day of the Little League West Regions in San Bernardino, California. As they took on Utah, who will be playing their first game of the West Regional tournament.

So. Cal started the game, with three straight singles (from Antonio Andrade, Levi Mendez, and Nate Nankil) to load the bases with no outs in the first inning, but Nevada responded with a strikeout, and a 5-4-3 double-play, to get them out of an early jam.

With Dante Schmidt pitching for So. Cal, Nevada leadoff their first at bats with a single from Reed Pippin, but Dante Schmidt answered with back-to-back strikeouts, and gave up a 4-3 groundout for the last out of the inning.

So. Cal lead off the top of the second inning, with a double from Dante Schmidt. Isaac Artalejo then brought in Ariel Armas (pinch runner for Dante Schmidt) for the first RBI of the game. So. Cal leads 1-0.

Then things turned ugly fast, as Levi Mendez singled to center field, to bring in Nicholas Maldonado (reached on fielder’s choice to second base) from third, and move Antonio Andrade to third (doubled to center field before the play).

With Levi Mendez on first, and Antonio Andrade on third. Nate Nankil clears the bases with a three-run homer to deep left field. So. Cal leads 5-0.

Nevada then started to get something going with a one out single to right field, and then load the bases, three batters later with two outs.

Live Feed

Redbird Rants

With the bases loaded, Dante Schmidt walks Santino Panaro, which brings in Ryan Weisman  for Nevada’s first run of the game. After that little hiccup, So. Cal’s Dante Schmidt strikes out Julian Molto-Herrera to limit Nevada to one run. So. Cal leads 5-1.

Jacob Baptista responds to Nevada’s run with a lead off home run to straight center field for So. Cal in the top of third. So. Cal leads 6-1.

Nevada leadoff the bottom of third with a walk to Josh McLean, and then Caden Denning got walked with one out, to put players on first and second, which turned out to be all for nothing, as the next two batters went out on strikes.

Mark Cervantes increases the lead for So. Cal with a lead off  homer to center field to increase the lead to 7-1, but it didn’t stop there.

More from LA Sports Hub

• Lakers: 5 Players to Target Through Trades to make another championship run
• LA Chargers: Week 8 against Denver Broncos is a must-win
• LA Rams: Jared Goff wants to keep the Los Angeles title streak going
• Lakers Rumors: Los Angeles Clippers interested in Rajon Rondo
• LA Chargers: Justin Herbert wins AFC Rookie of the Month

Antonio Andrade singled to the short-stop, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Levi Mendez walks to put players on first, and second with no outs. Soon after, Antonio Andrade  advances to third on error by the catcher.

Antonio Andrade scores on the following play, with Walker Lannom reaching on first base from a fielder’s choice, Levi Mendez out at second. So. Cal leads 8-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, Nate Nankil, and the So. Cal defense took care of Nevada, retiring three of the next five batters.

So what do you think the So. Cal team did next?

Well, with two outs in the fifth inning, and back-to-back singles. Levi Mendez hits a perfect double in the gap of center and right field, to drive in two more runs. So. Cal leads 10-1.

"So. Cal fell one run short of the mercy rule"

With the game looking far out of reach, Nevada started to get something cooking with two outs. As Matt Galdi singled to field, and Brant Hunt doubled to field, to put them on second, and third. Unfortunately for Nevada, Julian Castrejon struck out.

So. Cal then added another run to their lead with a solo homerun to center field from Walker Lannom. So. Cal leads 11-1.

In the last inning, Nevada was limited but ended up getting one run, thanks to three back to back singles from the Nevada team, but So. Cal ended up closing the game with a pitching substation. As Antonio Andrade got the last out of the game.

Southern California will play Utah on Wednesday at 7:00 PM.

As for Arizona and Nevada. Nevada will play Northern California tomorrow at 11:00 AM and Arizona will play Hawaii tomorrow at 4:30 PM.

Losers of these two games will go home, as the winners keep their fight alive.