Little League: Marlins on a mission

Steve Virgen

HUNTINGTON BEACH - To think, two losses and the Costa Mesa National

Little League Marlins would not have earned a trip to the Majors District

62 Tournament of Champions. But, the Marlins, in fact, won their last

three games, earning the CMNLL title and entered the TOC in a big way

Monday.

With some heavy-duty hitting and a huge load of confidence, the

Marlins opened their TOC play with a 18-0 mercy-rule victory over the

Costa Mesa American Little League White Sox, in four innings at

Huntington Valley Park’s Inspiration Field.

“These kids have a lot of heart,” Marlins Manager Paul Errington said.

“This group has stuck together. We’re looking to win this thing.”

The Marlins began the game with four runs and three hits. They scored

six more runs in the third and eight in the fourth, meanwhile allowing

just one White Sox hit.

Marlins starting catcher Vinnie Valdez, who is on the All-Star team,

went 3 for 5 with an RBI double and scored three runs, while second

baseman Anthony Secrest had a 3 for 4 day, with one RBI and one run

scored. Marlins shortstop Brice Stillman, starting pitcher and CMNLL

All-Star P.J. Errington, third baseman Adam Seagondollar and Garrick

Williams collected two hits each, Errington scored three runs as the

remaining two-hit trio tallied two runs each. Matt Wedgeworth scored two

runs as did Alex Robles, who slammed an RBI double in the third and was

hit by a pitch in the fourth.

Andrew Whitaker’s sacrifice fly, scored Errington in the first inning

to give the Marlins a 4-0 lead and Kevin Matson scored in the fourth

after Williams’s base hit for a 16-0 lead.

“Everybody was having fun, hitting the ball today,” Paul Errington

said. “We had some guys come through with some big base hits. And the

mercy win was nice.”

Marlins pitcher P.J. Errington turned in three innings of work,

allowing just one hit as he struck out five of the 10 batters he faced.

He also completed a perfect third which included two strikeouts. Secrest

closed the game, pitching what was the last inning in the fourth. He

faced three batters, striking out one and inducing two groundouts, the

latter he stopped and threw out the runner at first.

The White Sox recorded their only hit in the first inning. Third

baseman Luke Boulger blooped a shot to right center field for a single.

In the fourth inning, White Sox left fielder Jeremy Aguinaga dove to

make a sensational catch for the second out and Mike Molina struck out a

Marlins batter to end the frame.

“From the first half of the season to the second half, we have

improved,” White Sox Manager John Salyer said. “We won nine games in the

second half of the season.”

Salyer also mentioned Aguinaga, Adrian Armenta and Kyle Thorsness

earned spots on the All-Star team, while the 10-year-old Molina worked

his way to the Minors All-Star squad. Salyer said first baseman John

Roche and Zac Neuenfeldt showed dramatic improvement throughout the

season.

With the win, the Marlins recorded their largest margin of victory and

they are the first CMNLL team to sweep the Mesa American League, in the

seven years of the two leagues, according to Marlins Coach Jon Shamrell

who has been part of the league for the past 20 years.

The Marlins will face the winner of today’s matchup between Seaview

Little League’s No. 1 team vs. Ocean View No. 2.

Before the game, each player was awarded a Tournament of Champions pin

and an extra pin.

That pin commemorated Inspiration Field, the baseball diamond which

was built by the sponsorship of Major League Baseball and Mark McGwire,

in the year he broke the home run record.

The pin has the No. 70 on it and reads: To all the children past,

present and future who ever dreamed of setting their own records.