The all-star team from the Sweetwater Valley Little League will try to avoid elimination from the Little League World Series Saturday when it faces its counterpart from Phenix City (Alabama) Youth Baseball Little League in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
The 4 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time game at Howard J. Lamade Stadium will be televised by ESPN. A viewing party will be held at 3N1 Sports Bar & Grill in Chula Vista. Ten percent of all purchases will be donated to the families of the Sweetwater Valley players for travel expenses.
Phenix City, the Southeast Region champion, was relegated to the United States elimination bracket in the 20-team modified double-elimination tournament with a 2-0 loss to the all-star team from the Tacoma, Washington- based Soundview Little League Wednesday, in the opener for both teams.
Sweetwater Valley suffered a 1-0 loss
Sweetwater Valley suffered a 1-0 loss in its weather-delayed opener to its counterpart from the Davenport (Iowa) Northwest Little League Friday in a game when it was no-hit and ended the game on a called third strike with a full count and the bases loaded that appeared to be outside.
Cooper Thissen pitched 5 1/3 no-hit innings, striking out 15, and homered leading off the bottom of the first of Davenport’s two hits.
Thissen reached the 85-pitch limit when he walked Asher Giglio on seven pitches to give Sweetwater Valley runners on first and second with one out in the sixth inning. Little League games are six innings.
Left-hander reliever Anthony Johnson Jr.’s first pitch resulted
Left-hander reliever Anthony Johnson Jr.’s first pitch resulted in a passed ball by catcher Kannon Kane that allowed Sebastian Pino to advance to third. Pino drew a six-pitch walk leading off the inning.
Julian Sevilla walked on five pitches to load the bases.
Mateo Ruiz was called out on strikes on a 2-2 pitch for the second out. James Griffin was called out on strikes on the seven pitch on a pitch that appeared to be outside.
“I told them, `The great thing is that we’re not done,” Sweetwater Valley manger Steve Winnick said. “I would love to see that team again and face them again. I think it could be different next time.
We have to believe in ourselves, and regardless
“We have to believe in ourselves, and regardless of whether we lost the first game, the great news is we’re deep enough with pitching where we can make it out. It’s tough, but we can make it out of this loser’s bracket.”
The Bonita-based team was 15-0 in its four tournaments, outscoring its opponents 114-15, entering Friday’s play.
Sweetwater Valley was originally scheduled to play its Little League World Series opener Thursday, but all four of the day’s planned games were postponed “due to the impact of prolonged inclement weather” Little League International announced, and rescheduled for Friday.
Source: timesofsandiego.com
