Champions crowned in California District 42 Little League All-Star tournaments

Could another team from California District 42 Little League be headed to South Williamsport? Certainly, the road to the Little League World Series went through Monday’s 12U Division championship game at Sweetwater Valley Little League.

Park View Little League defeated Chula Vista American Little League, 11-4, on Monday to capture this year’s District 42 championship and start the long  and sometimes winding road to nail down a berth in next month’s iconic Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa.

Park View batted its way to this year’s finals by winning its opening three games in the double-elimination tournament in runaway fashion.

However, Chula Vista American cooled off Park View’s hot bats with a 3-1 victory on Sunday to force a championship replay on Monday.

If the Pennsylvania destination sounds familiar, it should.

Park View made district history by winning the 2009 Little League World Series championship, and one has to wonder if the league will be sending another team to do battle against the rest of the world in mid-August.

Of course, it’s unfair to put the cart before the horse at this point, but it’s still fun to dare to dream — and that’s exactly what makes the Little League All-Star playoffs so compelling.

At this point, there’s certainly no reason to say that this year’s Park View All-Star team cannot follow in the footsteps of giants.

“We often reflect on our 2009 champions and we know that they are truly our role models,” PVLL President Johnny Fuentes explained. “They inspire us to know that we can make this happen! While we still have a long road ahead of us, we are hoping with a little luck and a whole lot of trust in God that we will have an experience that these boys will treasure for their lifetime!”

Bombs away
Park View opened the district playoffs by crushing Southwest Little League, 37-0, in a game played June 29. Park View then blasted Eastlake Little League, 21-2, in a second-round game played July 5. Park View topped Chula Vista American, 15-4, on July 8 to earn a berth in the district final.

Park View belted 19 home runs in those opening three games.

Park View slammed nine home runs in the 37-0 win over Southwest and followed that heavy-hitting performance by crushing five balls over the fence in the 21-2 win over Eastlake.

Adriel Colmenero, Ali Camarillo, Cachorro Lizarraga, Daniel Leon, Joshua Bruce, Ju Ju Padilla, Lucas Marrujo and Omar Cordero all hit round-trippers in the opening game. Camarillo homered twice and drove in a team co-leading five runs in the game (tying Padilla for top honors).

Colmenero and Marrujo each collected four RBI in the game while teammates Lizarraga, Leon, Bruce and Cordero each drove in three runs. Anthony Soto, who went five-for-six in the game with three doubles and a triple, had two RBI.

Camarillo also had a triple to go with his two homers. Camarillo and Colmenero each scored six runs.

In the win over Eastlake, Colmenero, Lizarraga, Devin Hinojosa, Padilla and Money Guevara all slammed pitches over the fence. Lizarraga, who went three-for-four at the plate, racked up five RBI to lead Park View in that department while Padilla (also three-for-four at the plate) drove in four runs. Colmenero, Camarillo, Hinojosa,
Guevara and Cordero each finished the game with two RBI while Padilla, Marrujo and Cordero each scored three runs.

In the 15-4 win over Chula Vista American, Park View slammed four home runs to increase its total to 19 in three games. Marrujo, Cordero, Leon and Adam Amaro each belted home runs in the game. Marrujo finished three-for-three with three RBI and two runs scored while Colmenero, Leon and Amaro each drove in two runs.

Park View rallied with five runs in the bottom of the third inning to erase an early 3-1 CV American lead.

Lizarraga scattered six hits and allowed four earned runs to pick up the win for Park View. He struck out 10 batters in the five-inning game and threw 79 pitches — 58 of them strikes.

Chula Vista American eliminated Eastlake, 16-11, in last Saturday’s challenger bracket final to draw a championship rematch with Park View. Chris Leyva got the final out in the 3-1 win over Park View as CVA players began jumping for joy at the prospect of playing for the district championship.

But Park View rolled out to a 7-1 lead after two innings in Monday’s double-elimination final en route to crushing CV American’s dreams of advancing.

Park View slammed two more home runs for a total of 21 in five games as Marrujo and Colmenero both went yard. Colmenero led the district champions with five RBI while Marrujo had three.

Leyva and Ben Wood each hit home runs in Monday’s game to pace CV American.

Road to Williamsport
District 42 administrator Ernie Lucero said the 2016 All-Star tournament was probably the most attended by parents and friends in all of the age groups.

“It was a true championship game atmosphere,” Lucero explained. “District 42 will be well represented in all of our divisions against the other three districts in the Section 7 tournament for Little League.”

Lucero said the 12U All-Star game matched two very competitive teams and the resulting championship atmosphere was understandably emotionally charged.

“It is too bad that both teams could not advance,” Lucero said. “Our volunteer umpires did an outstanding job despite a minority of overzealous fans yelling at them. They kept their composure and we are so lucky to have them year after year volunteering their time to umpire these highly contested games.  I respect the umpires. They go through so much with every call they make. The umpires volunteer their time with Little League because of their love for the game and the players.

“The two teams had to play a final game on Monday to determine which team would represent California District 42 on the potential road to San Bernardino (Little League West Region finals) and, hopefully, to Williamsport.

“The Park View team prevailed, but the team from Chula Vista American never gave up. All of us now in District 42 will cheer for these amazing kids and maybe, just maybe, we’ll have a fourth team representing us in San Bernardino and Williamsport.

“We all have to be reminded that these are only 10-, 11- and 12-year-old kids playing Little League baseball in front of so many people. I applaud all the umpires, managers, coaches and especially the players, for offering us some great baseball games these last two to three weeks of All-Star competition between our nine little leagues here in the South County.”

District 22 Imperial Valley is hosting this year’s 12U Section 7 tournament. Park View will open sectional play on Saturday, July 16, at 7:30 p.m. against District 66 champion Las Palmas Little League at Holtville Little League.

The 12U championship game is scheduled Tuesday, July 19.

District 41 Fletcher Hills Little League is hosting the 11U section tournament, July 16-19, while District 42 Eastlake Little League is hosting the 10U section tournament (July 16-19).

California District 42 Little League Championship Tournament

12U ALL-STAR DIVISION
Wednesday, June 29
First round

Eastlake 20, Chula Vista National 0
Park View 37, Southwest 0

Thursday, June 30
First round

Chula Vista American 9, Sweetwater Valley 0
Imperial Beach 15, Luckie Waller 2

Tuesday, July 5
Winners bracket

Park View 21, Eastlake 2
Chula Vista American 11, Imperial Beach 6

Wednesday, July 6
Challenger bracket

Southwest 9, Chula Vista National 3
Sweetwater Valley 14, Luckie Waller 7

Thursday, July 7
Challenger bracket

Eastlake 20, Southwest 1
Sweetwater Valley 14, Imperial Beach 2

Friday, July 8
Winners bracket final

Park View 15, Chula Vista American 4

Challenger bracket

Eastlake 8, Sweetwater Valley 4

Saturday, July 9
Challenger bracket final

Chula Vista American 16, Eastlake 11

Sunday, July 10
Double elimination game

Chula Vista American 3, Park View 1

Monday, July 11
Championship game

Park View 11, Chula Vista American 4
Note: Park View wins district championship

11U ALL-STAR DIVISION
Tuesday, July 5
First round

Eastlake 22, Park View 7

Wednesday, July 6
First round

Sweetwater Valley 9, Chula Vista American 4

Thursday, July 7
Winners bracket final

Eastlake 5, Sweetwater Valley 3

Friday, July 8
Challenger bracket game

Park View 10, Chula Vista American 5

Saturday, July 9
Challenger bracket final

Sweetwater Valley 19, Park View 9

Sunday, July 10
Double elimination game

Sweetwater Valley 10, Eastlake 3

Monday, July 11
Championship game

Eastlake 9, Sweetwater Valley 6
Note: Eastlake wins district championship

10U ALL-STAR DIVISION
Wednesday, June 29
First round

Eastlake 19, Southwest 0

Thursday, June 30

Park View 29, Chula Vista National 0
Chula Vista American 10, Luckie Waller 0
Sweetwater Valley 11, Imperial Beach 1

Tuesday, July 5
Winners bracket

Eastlake 13, Park View 10
Sweetwater Valley 20, Chula Vista American 2

Wednesday, July 6
Challenger bracket

Southwest 8, Chula Vista National 7
Imperial Beach 18, Luckie Waller 3

Thursday, July 7
Challenger bracket

Park View 14, Southwest 3
Chula Vista American 13, Imperial Beach 10

Friday, July 8
Winners bracket final

Eastlake 11, Sweetwater Valley 1

Challenger bracket
Chula Vista American 16, Park View 15

Saturday, July 9
Challenger bracket final

Sweetwater Valley 13, Chula Vista American 3

Sunday, July 10
Championship game

Eastlake 18, Sweetwater Valley 3
Note: Eastlake wins district championship

California Section 7 All-Star Baseball Tournaments

12U Division

District 22 Imperial Valley Little League

Saturday, July 16

First round

Park View (District 42) 10, Las Palmas (District 66) 1

Imperial (District 22) 10, Fletcher Hills (District 41) 5

Sunday, July 17

Winners bracket final

Las Palmas 17, Imperial 4

Elimination game

Las Palmas 8, Fletcher Hills 1

Monday, July 18

Challenger bracket final

Imperial 7, Las Palmas 6

Tuesday, July 19

Championship game

Park View 18, Imperial 7
Note: Park View wins championship, advances to Sub-Divivision III South tournament at Escondido National Little League starting Saturday, July 23

11U Division

Fletcher Hills Little League

Saturday, July 16

First round

Eastlake (District 42) 8, Brawley (District 22) 3

Cajon de Oro (District 66) 14, Valley de Oro (District 41) 0

Sunday, July 17

Elimination game

Valley de Oro defeated Brawley, score unavailable

Winners bracket final

Cajon de Oro defeated Eastlake, score unavailable

Monday, July 18

Challenger bracket final

Eastlake 22, Valley deo Oro 4

Tuesday, July 19

Double-elimination game

Eastlake 18, Cajon do Oro 9

Wednesday, July 20
Championship game

Eastlake 6, Cajon de Oro 2
Note: Eastlake wins section championship

10U Division

Eastlake Little League

Saturday, July 16

First round

Eastlake (District 42) 13, Calexico (District 22) 0

West Hills (District 41) 19, Valley do Oro (District 66) 2

Sunday, July 17

Winners bracket final

West Hills 4, Eastlake 3

Elimination game

Valley de Oro defeated Calexico, score unavailable

Monday, July 18

Challenger bracket final

Eastlake 16, Valley de Oro 0

Tuesday, July 19

Double-elimination game

Eastlke 10, West Hills 8

Wednesday, July 20
Championship game

Eastlake 12, West Hills 2
Note: Eastlake wins section championship

Junior League Division

Spring Valley Little League

First round

Saturday, July 9

Calexico (District 22) 11, Eastlake (District 42) 5

West Hills (District 41) 18, Lemon Grove (District 66) 8

Sunday, July 10

Winners bracket final

Calexico (District 22) 6, West Hills (District 41) 5

Elimination game

Lemon Grove 15, Eastlake 14

Monday, July 11

Challenger bracket final

West Hills (District 41) 12, Lemon Grove (District 66) 2

Tuesday, July 13

Championship game

Calexico (District 22) defeated West Hills (District 41), score unavailable