Two Douglas All-Star teams have advanced to the finals of their respective District 8 tournaments while one other remains alive and another was eliminated over the weekend.
 Douglas All-Star catcher Nick Ortega prevents a run from scoring as he tags a Sierra Vista National player out at the plate in the first inning at the Majors tournament in Sierra Vista Monday. Douglas won the game 2-1 advancing to Wednesday’s championship game where they will face the winner of tonight’s game between Sierra Vista National and Nogales. |
The 13-14 year old All-Stars from Douglas also advanced to the finals of their tournament which will take place Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Copper King Stadium.
The 9-10 year old All-Stars beat Willcox 11-1 advancing into the final three after suffering a first round loss to Nogales. Douglas and Nogales will face each other again today with that winner meeting Rio Rico for the championship on Wednesday in Nogales.
In Rio Rico the 10-11 year old All-Stars had their season Saturday with a loss to Bisbee.
The 13-14 year old Douglas All-Stars spanked the Willcox All-Stars 18-1 Saturday at Copper King Stadium advancing to Wednesday’s District 8 championships.
Samuel Wright started the game on the hill for Douglas and went two innings giving up one run off one hit. Roy Aguirre, Fernando Rojas and Luis Barrios each threw one inning in relief.
Douglas came out swinging as lead off batter Esteban Daniel hit the second pitch of the game to deep left field for a lead off triple. Miles Granados followed with a sacrifice fly giving Douglas a 1-0 lead. Gabriel Ortega hit a two-run single this inning as the Douglas All-Stars jumped out to a 5-0 lead as Douglas would send nine men to the plate this inning and score five runs off four hits; four of the runs came with two outs.
Willcox scored its lone run of the game in the bottom half of the inning making the score 5-1.
Douglas led 7-1 in the second when Diego Resendiz collided with the Willcox first baseman resulting in a 30-minute stoppage as local paramedics were called to tend to the injured Willcox All-Star. The Willcox player was taken to Southeast Arizona Medical Center for treatment. When play resumed the Douglas All-Stars would continue to score as 15 batters stepped up to the plate this inning and Douglas scored nine runs off four hits, four walks and two errors taking an 14-1 lead.
All-Star coach Eliseo Daniel used this lead to play his reserves and get his other pitchers some work. The Douglas All-Stars would score four more runs in the third and fourth innings but those runs came as a result of base hits and base to base running.
Esteban Daniel hit 2 for 2 this game. Granados was 1 for 3, Jorge Escalante 1 for 3, Aguirre 1 for 1, Resendiz 1 for 3, Ortega 3 for 5, Rojas 1 for 4 and Wright 1 for 5.
Coach Daniel said his teams bats are starting to come around and the team chemistry is starting to form.
In Douglas Monday Nogales edged Rio Rico 8-7 and will play Willcox tonight at 6 p.m. with that winner to face Douglas on Wednesday.
In Monday’s District 8 semifinal showdown in Sierra Vista the Douglas All-Stars scored twice in the fourth inning overcoming a 1-0 deficit to take the lead and eventually the win.
CJ Estrella started the game on the hill for Douglas and went two and a third innings giving up one run off four hits.
David Hurtado came on in relief and threw three and a third innings giving up no runs off no hits while fanning eight.
Estrella’s bases loaded walk in the top of the third gave Sierra Vista National a brief 1-0 lead.
Estrella led off the bottom of the fourth with a double to left field and he eventually scored on Hurtado’s single tying the game at 1-1.
Michael Arzate scored what proved to be the game winning run when he later scored on Nick Ortega’s single giving Douglas a 2-1 edge.
Victor Campoy, Estrella, Hurtado, Arzate and Ortega each hit 1 for 2 this game with Arzate and Estrella each belting doubles. Tyler Arvayo was 1 for 1 and Kirt Cormier was 1 for 3.
The Douglas defense overcame a three error performance and Ortega made what would later amount to a game saving tag in the first inning for an out at home plate.
Douglas’ coach Gus Hurtado said after the game his team got off to a slow start and had a hard time getting going.
“CJ’s double seemed to pick us up a little,” he said. “Fortunately we were able to score a couple of runs and hang on for the win.”
The coach admitted his team was not making the routine plays Monday but fortunately his pitchers did a good enough job of keeping Sierra Vista National off base.
“Despite the errors I’m really pleased with the effort,” the coach said. “These kids found a way to win tonight.”
Sierra Vista National will face Nogales today in an elimination game. That winner will play Douglas Wednesday for the District 8 title.
In Nogales the 9-10 year old All-Stars won their fourth straight game beating Willcox 11-1.
Jacob Ortega was the winning pitcher. He went all four innings, gave up one run off two hits and fanned six.
This game was tied 1-1 going into the bottom of the third when Douglas went to the short game to get runners on base.
Douglas’ All-Star coach Johnny Pedrego Andres Tostado came through with a clutch hit which scored some runs sparking Douglas to an eight run rally and a 9-1 lead.
Tostado’s hit in the bottom of the fourth brought in the final two runs Douglas needed to win the game.
Tostado, Ortega and Jayson Esquer each hit 2 for 2 this game. Jesus Loreto was 1 for 1, Humberto Parra 1 for 2 and Francisco Pelayo 1 for 3.
Monday’s trip to Nogales was the fifth time in the last seven days the Douglas All-Stars made the long journey.
Coach Pedrego said after losing that first game to Nogales his kids have really responded and he’s hoping they will not be as nervous today in the rematch as they were in the first meeting.
“If we can eliminate our errors we should be okay,” he said.
On Saturday the Douglas 9-10’s eliminated Sierra Vista American by the same score of 11-1.
Freddy Arellano was the winning pitcher throwing four innings in relief of starter Alexis Selig.
Selig went two innings and gave up one run. Arellano went four innings and gave up no runs off no hits.
Douglas used a five run first and a three run second to jump out to an 8-0 lead. Sierra Vista American scored its lone run of the game in the bottom of the second. Arellano entered the game for Douglas with Sierra Vista American having already scored a run and the bases loaded and no outs this inning. He got one batter to ground out and struck out two to end the inning.
Douglas came back with one in the third and two in the sixth taking an 11-1 lead.
Francisco Romo hit 2 for 2 for Douglas. Pelayo was 2 for 4, Alex Morales 1 for 2, Loreto 1 for 2; Selig was 1 for 4 and Esquer 1 for 5.
Douglas’ 10-11 year old All-Stars were eliminated from their tournament in Rio Rico following a 6-4 loss to Bisbee. Details from the game were not available to The Daily Dispatch from the Douglas coaches. Douglas finished the tournament with a 2-2 record.
Nogales beat Bisbee 14-6 Monday to win the 10-11 year old championship.
Correction
In Saturday’s All-Star photo of the 11-12 year old Douglas All-Stars Bryan Lomeli was accidentally misidentified as his cousin Michael. The Daily Dispatch Sports Dept. apologizes for the error.
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