Around the Horn: Little League Insider Style (July 24, 2013)

I traveled up to Connecticut again today for the Section 2 championship "if" game between Coginchaug and South Windsor American. Coginchaug erupted offensively and took home the title 11-4. They were the 11-year old section champs last year as well. The game was played wayyyyy up in Harwinton which is basically the hills before the Berkshire Mountains. It's a long trip for most in the state, but wow it was a gorgeous complex. Great park, great setup, great field. The best thing about it though was the field dimensions...225 feet. The extra 20-25 feet really make an amazing difference in the game. There's triples, no cheap home runs, and outfielders have to make plays. I think in a perfect world, Little League is 50/70, with no leads, and stealing on the pitcher's release with 225-foot fences. That's where the game should truly go. Get rid of leads and pickoffs until 60/90, and get the 13s off the small field. That's my thoughts. Okay... on to the roundup.


Southern California

The SoCal championship series is set and it looks like it will be a dandy. Chula Vista Eastlake pounded their way to the southern sub-division championship almost like Chula Vista Park View did in 2009. Sherman Oaks Southern has been a winner with this group for a few years now and it shows with their ability to win tight games. They hit for amazing power, always battle back, and they have a great pitcher or two. I don't know if I'd ever pitch to Noah Taylor, and Ryan Dollard is crushing the ball right now including a walkoff two-run shot in the 7th inning to win the northern sub-divisional over Santa Maria Southside. I think I'm sticking with SOLL to win it, but Eastlake is scary at the plate.

Northern California

Santa Cruz American beat Belmont-Redwood Shores behind another magnificent performance from Javier Felix. The stud pitcher/hitter tossed a shutout giving up just two singles and striking out 11. He was also 3-for-3 with a home run in the 2-0 victory. Felix is spent for the rest both the championship game and if game, however. SCA will await an opponent.

Michigan

Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores hadn't won a state championship since back-to-back trips to the Central Regional back in 1978 and 1979. In '79, GPWS went all the way to Williamsport. Now, in 2013, they have another chance. GPWS blanked three straight opponents in the Michigan state tournament including a 1-0 victory in the state title game. Chad Lorkowski, a monster of a kid, pitched a one-hitter with 11 strikeouts. Joey Rheaume hit a solo home run for the deciding run.

Virginia

Tuckahoe American rolled through the entire Virginia state tournament with dominant pitching and powerful bats. Tuckahoe outscored six opponents 85-4 in the tournament including an 11-3 victory over highly-touted West Springfield American in the title game.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire's best-of-three championship series came down to the final game and Rye made the most of it. Rye blasted Salem 19-7 in the championship game behind home runs from Max Malila and Dylan Chase. Rye's hits 25 home runs in its 13 games on the road to the regionals.

Vermont

South Burlington took LLWS participant Fairfield American to the brink last year in the New England semifinals before falling in extra innings. That team returned six players including a lot of big stars this year as the heavy favorites in Vermont. After dropping a surprising 7-2 decision to Essex Town in the first championship game, SBLL left no doubt in the "if" game. Behind Ben Tate's two home runs, and Ethan Klesch's grand slam, South Burlington built an 11-0 lead before securing an 11-6 victory. SB is the first team to repeat as state champions since 1997.

Kentucky

The Kentucky semifinals are set after four teams went unbeaten during the first two games of pool play. Today's games will decide seeding in each pool. North Oldham and Knox County are potentially the favorites right now. Campbellsville and Morehead are right there.

New York

My two championship picks hit the skids today in the winner's bracket of the NYS tournament. South Shore American dropped a 4-2 decision to Burnt Hills who received a bye. Horseheads was beat up by Pearl River in the other winners bracket game, 12-5. Matt Russo, Brendan Tarsnane, and Sean Flaherty each had three hits in the win. Jack McKee earned the victory with four innings of one-run ball.

Pennsylvania

West Point knocked off powerhouse Keystone 7-5 to win the Western Pennsylvania pool. In the Eastern Pennsylvania pool, Lionville went a perfect 3-0 and Ridley took second at 2-1. Keystone and Lionville will play in one semifinal and West Point and Ridley will battle in the other. Keystone, the pre-tournament favorite, will likely have to contend with Lionville's Michael Rodriguez who sports a blazing fastball. West Point's Brayden Brose continues to shine at the plate with mammoth home runs.

State Champions List

Utah- Dixie LL (St. George)
Alabama- Jackson LL

Oklahoma- Tulsa LL
Idaho- Coeur d’Alene LL
Washington- Eastlake LL (Sammamish)
Mississippi- Ocean Springs LL
Nebraska- Kearney LL
Washington, D.C.- Capitol City LL
Texas West- Universal LL (Corpus Christi)
Louisiana- Bossier National LL
Texas East- Pearland Maroon LL
South Dakota- Rapid City Timberline
Nevada- Mountain Ridge LL (North Las Vegas)
Michigan Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores LL
Virginia- Tuckahoe American LL
New Hampshire- Rye LL
Vermont- South Burlington LL
Hawaii- Central East Maui
Kansas- Girard 

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