Having already advanced farther than any Pacific Palisades Baseball Association team ever has before, this year’s eight-year-old Pinto squad really had nothing to lose when it journeyed north to Santa Clarita for last weekend’s Regional Tournament. Played at the Hart Baseball Complex in Valencia, the Regionals featured 10 of the best teams from Southern California. The teams were divided into two pools of five. The Red Division included Palisades, Simi Valley, East Long Beach, Charter Oak and West Hills. The Blue Division consisted of Newhall Hart, Mira Costa, Norwalk, West Covina and Agoura. Each team played the other teams from its division in a round robin, with the first and second-place teams from each pool advancing to the playoff round. And although Palisades was unable to advance, it finished its season a winning note, knocking off West Hills, 8-4, on Sunday morning. “What’s so remarkable is that we sort of go into these all-star tournaments at a disadvantage because these other Pony leagues we play have live pitching all season, whereas we use machine pitching,” said co-coach Rick McGeagh, who piloted the Pinto Indians to the World Series in June. “So I’m extrenely pleased that we were able to compete as well as we did. We were in every game.” After a long drive that afternoon, Palisades opened the tournament against a powerful team from Simi Valley, which ended up winning the tournament. Palisades lost, 12-2, but the players stayed in a hotel overnight and were well rested for their two games the next day. In the morning game, Palisades played East Long Beach, which it had beaten a week earlier in the Coastal Tournament. This time, Palisades lost, 4-3. That afternoon, Palisades dropped another one-run game, 5-4, to Charter Oak. Still, the team was upbeat and determined not to go home without a victory. On Sunday morning, Palisades played a West Hills squad that needed a win to advance to the playoff round. Palisades scored two runs in the top of the first inning, but West Hills tied the game in the bottom half of the inning. Behind the steady pitching of Reece Pascoe, Palisades took a 5-2 lead before West Hills cut the lead to 5-4 with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning. But closer Matt McGeagh came in with two outs and got a strikeout to preserve Palisades’ lead. In the top of the sixth and final frame, Palisades staged a two-out rally to clinch its hardfought win. It started when Jack Halpert drew a walk. Michael Vastano followed with a single and Jackson Kogan walked to load the bases. McGeagh then singled to score Halpert, Bryant Falconello singled to score Vastano and Tyler McMorrow was hit by a pitch to force home Kogan and provide the final margin. McGeagh allowed only one baserunner in the bottom of the sixth. Palisades ended its road trip with a visit to Chuck E. Cheese and dinner at Johnny Rockets. “The kids had so much fun and they all said this has been the best year of baseball in their lives,” said Rick McGeagh, who admitted coaching an all-star team is more intense than coaching during the regular PPBA season. “This is an experience they’ll remember for a long time.” Palisades’ Pinto all-stars consisted of Pascoe, Falconello, Halpert, McMorrow, Vastano, Kogan, Daniel Hackman, Matt and Jack McGeagh, Quin McGinley, Hunter Price, Matt Douglas, Connor Page and Kevin McNamee. The Palisades Mustang and Bronco all-star teams played in their divisional tournaments last weekend. The Mustangs, coached by Bill Elder, posted a 3-2 record while the Broncos, coached by Bob Lutz, went 2-2.
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