On Monday, July 8, no team was crowned as the Major Division champion of District 46.
The East Anaheim Little League all-star team defeated previously unbeaten Central Garden Grove, forcing another game. It did that with a 9-2 victory at Loara Little League’s Modjeska Field, which marked the second meeting of the squads. The result evened the series at 1-1.
On Monday, July 8, no team was crowned as the Major Division champion of District 46.
The East Anaheim Little League all-star team defeated previously unbeaten Central Garden Grove, forcing another game. It did that with a 9-2 victory at Loara Little League’s Modjeska Field, which marked the second meeting of the squads. The result evened the series at 1-1.
“It was do or die,” East Anaheim manager Jon Hogencamp said. “Last time we out hit them 9-3, but we just made too many errors.”
The championship matchup unfolded on Tuesday, July 9 (score not available). The winner captured the District 46 title. It also earned it the right to advance to the Sectional Tournament.
In order to survive Monday’s game, East Anaheim took a 4-0 lead with a pair of home runs in the first inning. Luke Hogencamp, who went 3-for-4, blasted a solo shot to dent the board. Jorge Torres Jr. then belted a two-run blast.
East Anaheim continued to score, building an 8-0 advantage before Central Garden Grove responded in the bottom of the fourth, when Isaac Turbarg hit an RBI single. However, in the top of the fifth, East Anaheim added another run. Relief pitcher Marus Viramontes did the deed. With a 3-2 count, he smacked a solo homer, circling the bases for his team’s last run of the day.
“It was a fastball,” said Viramontes, who went 3-for-4. “It was just a little bit outside … I was looking for that pitch.”
Viramontes was also outstanding on the mound, throwing four innings and striking out six. He relieved starting pitcher Ryan Saltzman, who used just 22 pitches to complete two innings. Saltzman was pulled in order to be used during the following game.
Central Garden Grove also featured two pitchers, but neither were the team’s top pitchers. It actually captured the first contest against East Anaheim by the score of 3-0, with Turbarg earning the shutout and the win.
Central Garden Grove’s coaching staff pointed out that East Anaheim had previously won all of its games with the mercy rule. It also hinted that ace pitcher Dylan Cootes would start the championship game. East Anaheim had not faced him as of yet.
In order to survive the loser’s bracket, East Anaheim defeated Loara to advance to Monday[s game.
The winner of the District 46 championship will advance to the Sectional Tournament, which will also be hosted by Loara Little League.
In other action, the District 46 Big League all-star team, which features 17 and 18-year-olds from both Anaheim and Garden Grove, won the loser’s bracket of the Division-III Tournament? It did this with an 18-9 victory against Thousand Oaks.
Also, the East Anaheim 9-10 all-star team won the District 46 Tournament and will open the Sectional Tournament in Mission Viejo on Saturday, July 13. Loara Little League’s 11-year-old all-star team captured the District title, as did Central Garden Grove’s junior all-star team.
