Well after the fantastic run through District for the SRLL Majors All-Stars, they had a week to rest up to then play the best in Section #3, which includes Districts from Fremont, San Mateo, Tracy, and San Leandro/Hayward area. A lot of great baseball players out there.
SRLL faced Newark American in the first game of the tourney this past Saturday. Although the defense was a bit rusty, our pitching and timely hitting, including a 3-run homer in the 4th, enabled us to stay ahead of a very good Newark Team - winning 9-6 behind our closer's 5th and 6th inning where he struck out the side both times.
With the win over Newark American, SRLL faced the Hillsborough side in the Winner's Bracket final on a cool Monday night. Hillsborough had already beaten Northgate (from D67 - Tracy) and the host D45 San Leandro side to get to the Winner's Bracket final and had done it with a combined 29-15 score.
Hillsborough plated two in the top of the first on a two-out double, but SRLL got a 3-run homer in the bottom of the frame to take a 3-2 lead. On a few infield singles and a walk, Hillsborough knotted the score at 3 after their AB in the 2nd. SRLL countered with a big threat in the bottom of the second, but could only score 1 even with bases loaded and no outs. The pitching took over in the middle innings, as the starters for both sides settled down. In the top of the 5th, Hillsborough scored the tying run on an infield single with two outs. SRLL was unable to create any offense in the 5th or 6th, so the game went into extra innings. In the top of the 7th, HLL led off the inning with a HBP and a single, but after the runners were split on a 4-6 fielder's choice, a sac fly ball to right field gave HLL the lead 5-4 (although the play at the plate was close). SRLL got out of the inning with no more damage. After a hard single to lead of the bottom of the 7th by the #4 hitter, our #5 hitter (who hit the 1st inning three-run homer) stepped to the plate and sent the 150+ person SRLL crowd into a frenzy with a 2-strike 2-run walk-off HR.
SRLL plays Hillsborough tonight, as they ended San Leandro's All-Star run in the Loser's Bracket final, for the Section 3 championship....
More to come after the game.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
San Ramon LLB All-Stars - Update
Yes, from our last post you noted that San Ramon 12's had made it to the final four of District. A lot has happended since then - here are some of the highlights:
July 7th - Solid pitching/defensive performance and timely hitting enable SRLL to defeat one of it's key D57 rivals over the past few years - TVALL - 13-3. SRLL - 4 game winning streak.
July 8th - Two two run shots in the first and second innings key a well-played 5-1 victory over a very good SRV team. Pitching and defense was also key to the game, as SRV was held to only 3 hits. SRLL 5-game winning streak.
Now is where it starts to get interesting!!!!
July 9th - Pitted against the Winner's Bracket winner and perenially solid league, Pleasanton American, SRL had its work cut out for them - win 2 - or go home. The extra inning tilt on Thursday night was quoted by many as one of the best LL games they have ever seen. SRLL took the lead off 2 HR's in the first inning, but was quickly countered by PALL - with two of their own. The "cat and mouse" game continued for thenext five innings, when PALL tied the game with 2 outs and 2 strikes in the bottom of the sixth on a 3-run homer - 11-11. Both teams had runners thrown out at third to end their half of the seventh, but SRLL pitchers faced 2-5 in the vaunted PALL lineup in that great inning, and SRLL had their #2 coming up in the 8th - advantage SRLL. After an opening international walk, SRLL decided it was time to let their bats do the talking and 10 AB's later had a commanding 19-11 lead. PALL put up a run in the bottom of the 8th, but eventually ran out of steam - SRLL 19 - PALL 12. SRLL Win Streak at 6 Games and on to the Championship.
July 10th - D57 Championship (What If Game) - PALL came out blazing, hitting 3-run homers in the 1st and 2nd innings to take a 6-1 lead. SRLL went quietly through their first two innings against PALL's ace - and then the 3rd inning happened. SRLL #8 hitter started the 3rd with an infield single, and when the power hitting 9th hitter hit the ball 235 feet to cut the lead to 6-3, the momentum turned. After 19 more AB's, 11 more hits, and 2 more HR's, SRLL stood back from their hitting display and had built an 18-6 lead - enter SRLL's flame-throwing closer and the game was over in the 4th - SRLL wins the D57 Championship - 18-6. SRLL Win Streak in District - 7 games and the banner and title is in San Ramon LL for the first time in 19 years - GREAT JOB BOYS!!!
Now the team moves on to Sectional Play in San Lorenzo - next blog to cover the Sectionals tournament.
July 7th - Solid pitching/defensive performance and timely hitting enable SRLL to defeat one of it's key D57 rivals over the past few years - TVALL - 13-3. SRLL - 4 game winning streak.
July 8th - Two two run shots in the first and second innings key a well-played 5-1 victory over a very good SRV team. Pitching and defense was also key to the game, as SRV was held to only 3 hits. SRLL 5-game winning streak.
Now is where it starts to get interesting!!!!
July 9th - Pitted against the Winner's Bracket winner and perenially solid league, Pleasanton American, SRL had its work cut out for them - win 2 - or go home. The extra inning tilt on Thursday night was quoted by many as one of the best LL games they have ever seen. SRLL took the lead off 2 HR's in the first inning, but was quickly countered by PALL - with two of their own. The "cat and mouse" game continued for thenext five innings, when PALL tied the game with 2 outs and 2 strikes in the bottom of the sixth on a 3-run homer - 11-11. Both teams had runners thrown out at third to end their half of the seventh, but SRLL pitchers faced 2-5 in the vaunted PALL lineup in that great inning, and SRLL had their #2 coming up in the 8th - advantage SRLL. After an opening international walk, SRLL decided it was time to let their bats do the talking and 10 AB's later had a commanding 19-11 lead. PALL put up a run in the bottom of the 8th, but eventually ran out of steam - SRLL 19 - PALL 12. SRLL Win Streak at 6 Games and on to the Championship.
July 10th - D57 Championship (What If Game) - PALL came out blazing, hitting 3-run homers in the 1st and 2nd innings to take a 6-1 lead. SRLL went quietly through their first two innings against PALL's ace - and then the 3rd inning happened. SRLL #8 hitter started the 3rd with an infield single, and when the power hitting 9th hitter hit the ball 235 feet to cut the lead to 6-3, the momentum turned. After 19 more AB's, 11 more hits, and 2 more HR's, SRLL stood back from their hitting display and had built an 18-6 lead - enter SRLL's flame-throwing closer and the game was over in the 4th - SRLL wins the D57 Championship - 18-6. SRLL Win Streak in District - 7 games and the banner and title is in San Ramon LL for the first time in 19 years - GREAT JOB BOYS!!!
Now the team moves on to Sectional Play in San Lorenzo - next blog to cover the Sectionals tournament.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
District Teams all get to Final Four
All three District Teams, playing in elimination games on Monday evening, won and moved on to the final four for each of their tourneys.
The 9/10's beat a very good Granada team, closing them out in the 6th, albeit a little stressful, with a final score of 8-6. The SRLL side, behind strong pitching and solid hitting, built an 8-3 lead going into the bottom of the 6th, but Granada would not go away easily, loading the bases and putting up three runs, before a pop-out ended the threat. Great job 9's.
The 10/11's got their offense rolling in a landslide victory over the Granada team, 13-4. Behind three home runs the SRLL side overcame an early 4-0 hole to score 13 unanswered runs and win running away. The SRLL side faces SRV tonight in another elimination game.
The 11'12's with the help of a very strong crowd bested the two-time defending champion Danville Little League team, 7-3. Yes, this was the same team that just last Saturday beat our boys 10-4 and knocked us into the loser's bracket. We were down 3-2 going into the 5th inning, and facing one of the better pitchers in the District. Luckily he hit his pitch count limit and we were able to put up 5 runs in that inning, all with 2 outs, to get the lead for good. Our pitching and defense shut the door after that and got us into the final four.
All three teams play again tonight - in another set of elimination games. Go SRLL!!!
The 9/10's beat a very good Granada team, closing them out in the 6th, albeit a little stressful, with a final score of 8-6. The SRLL side, behind strong pitching and solid hitting, built an 8-3 lead going into the bottom of the 6th, but Granada would not go away easily, loading the bases and putting up three runs, before a pop-out ended the threat. Great job 9's.
The 10/11's got their offense rolling in a landslide victory over the Granada team, 13-4. Behind three home runs the SRLL side overcame an early 4-0 hole to score 13 unanswered runs and win running away. The SRLL side faces SRV tonight in another elimination game.
The 11'12's with the help of a very strong crowd bested the two-time defending champion Danville Little League team, 7-3. Yes, this was the same team that just last Saturday beat our boys 10-4 and knocked us into the loser's bracket. We were down 3-2 going into the 5th inning, and facing one of the better pitchers in the District. Luckily he hit his pitch count limit and we were able to put up 5 runs in that inning, all with 2 outs, to get the lead for good. Our pitching and defense shut the door after that and got us into the final four.
All three teams play again tonight - in another set of elimination games. Go SRLL!!!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Five Days In - SRLL Looks Good
A lot of games and action over the past five days in tournaments. Some of the key highlights:
Seniors - Coach Ray's team lost their first game against a tough Granada/Livermore National team, but have run the table in the Loser's Bracket and are in the championship game tonight against that same Granada/Livermore team. Wins over Danville, Tassajara, and Pleasanton American vaulted them into tonight's tilt in Tassajara on the turf. If they win tonight, the what-if game is tomorrow night - same place.
Juniors - Another team that got bumped in their first game, but have made a run in the Loser's bracket - besting Livermore American, Livermore National and Pleasanton National. They are in the final four and play again tonight at Pleasanton SportsPark at 5:30pm against Pleasanton American. Good luck Juniors.
Majors (12's) - The theme continues - our Majors team played against the two time defending champion Danville team on Saturday Night (nice crowd of about 3-400), but could not overcome a very good baseball team and lost 10-4. However, much like the teams above, this team has made a run in the Loser's bracket with great pitching and strong bats, as they have beat Tassajara National (25-0) and Canyon Creek (14-0) to get into the second week of the tourney and the final 6. Our next game is on Monday night at Pleasanton SportsPark.
10/11's - Strong play by the 10/11's in the first two games have them playing again tonight against Danville. They dispatched TNLL (11-6) and CCLL (11-0) in the first two games. They play tonight at Alamo School at 5:30pm - come out and show your support.
9/10's - As with the 12's team, the 9/10's lost to Danville in the first round, but have made a strong run in the Loser's bracket, beating Dublin (17-3) and Canyon Creek (11-3) and get into the final six. Another team that will play next Monday out in Livermore - Robert Livermore park.
Finally - both 9's Tourney teams competed this past weekend on the hot turf of Tassajara. Coach Todd's Team played very well (see his post) - congrats to going 3-1 over the weekend. Coach Jeff's 9's hit their way to the Championship game, where they took the title with a 10-0 win over Pleasanton American....
GREAT JOB SRLL - Keep up the support and great play.
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