Newport Beach Little League: D-backs too tough for Halos

NEWPORT BEACH - The Diamondbacks picked the right time to peak, and

the Angels were the unfortunate victims.

The D-backs defeated the Angels twice in a span of two days to advance

to the championship baseball game against the Reds in the Newport Beach

Little League Majors Division.

The June 3 game was a pitching duel, with the D-backs getting solid

pitching from Chris Rosen, who allowed one infield hit and allowed only

two Angel base runners past first base. Andy Rovzar pitched for the

Angels.

The only run of the game came in the fourth inning as Fletcher Della

Grotta led off with a single, followed by Rosen’s single. Scott Colton

then hit a double to the fence, scoring Della Grotta.

Riley Sullivan (two hits) and Steven Manning also contributed to the

D-back offense, while Conner Whalen, Garrett Amoroso, Doug Kelley and

Manning played great defense.

Both teams played an error-free game, which lasted less than an hour.

The D-backs faced elimination June 1 against the Angels, but got

offensive help from Rosen (three-run home run in the first), Colton and

Kelley (each with two hits), Whalen, Sullivan, Mason Sayer and Michael

Epstein, who all contributed hits in the teams’ 11-4 win.

Rosen, Amoroso and Della Grotta combined on the mound for the D-backs.

Hunter Adler, Scott Ely, David Grant and Michael Page each had hits

for the Angels.

In AAA playoff action: The Giants won three straight games to reach

the championship game against the 19-2 Red Sox.

The 15-7-1 Giants defeated the Mariners twice, 13-3, and 9-3, and the

Angels once, 8-4.

In the Giants’ 9-3 win, Jamie Heinecke retired all nine batters he

faced on 27 pitches and struck out three, while Michael Hayde executed

delayed steals of home in the fifth to give the Giants the added cushion.

Third baseman Grant Davis and catcher Beau Attyah made sound defensive

plays for the Giants. Jack Gerdau relieved Heinecke, finishing the last

three innings with six strikeouts.

Cory Vitalo threw well for the Mariners.

The Giants wasted no time, scoring six runs in the first on seven

consecutive hits from Attyah (two singles), Eric Chebil (two run-scoring

doubles), Josh Harrison (three hits, three RBIs), Heinecke, Michael

Hayde, Max Colvin and Davis. They then cruised to a 13-3 win over the

Mariners.

Heinecke pitched three scoreless innings, allowing one hit while

striking out three, and got great defense from John Cazort, Gerdau and

Mitch Gardner in the win.

The Mariners had scored 56 runs in their previous three playoff games.

In this game, Cory Vitalo singled twice and catcher J.B. Salem played

solid defense.

Workhorse Heinecke pitched well again for the Giants, allowing one hit

in three scoreless innings, as the Giants defeated the Angels, 8-4.

The Giants broke open a tight game in the top of the third, scoring

five runs. Gardner opened the inning with a single and scored on Gerdau’s

triple to left-center field. After a walk and an error, Harrison doubled

to score two more runs with Heinecke singling to score Harrison (three

hits).

Davis (two RBIs), Attyah (hit, two runs scored) and Peter Weidner

contributed to the Giants offense as well.

The Angels were led on offense by Brian Hurst, (two runs scored),

Dillon Campbell (one hit, two runs scored), Doug Watt and Karl Fletcher.