Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
PPBA’s 10U & 12U All-Star Squads Host Pony Section Playoffs
By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
Hopes were high for the Pacific Palisades Baseball Association’s Mustang 10U and Bronco 12U All-Star teams, which hosted the Pony Baseball Section playoffs last weekend at the Field of Dreams.
The 10Us, coached by Josh Morrow, opened the double-elimination tournament Friday on Field 4 against Torrance American, which had beaten Los Alamitos B the day before.
Torrance American prevailed 15-4 in five innings, but Palisades got on the scoreboard first when Quincy Watson doubled and scored on a ground out by Owen Gutierrez in the bottom of the first inning.
Trailing 9-1 in the fourth, Palisades rallied when Tristan Girodet tripled, Beau Schinto walked and Cash Morrow belted a two-run triple. A single by Owen Camacho scored Morrow, but Palisades got no closer.
The local 10Us rebounded Saturday, beating Wilmington 9-1 to stay alive. Watson had two hits, Girodet had one hit and two RBIs, Gutierrez had one hit, Jimmy Levy and two RBIs and pitcher Chander Desai struck out seven batters in six innings.
Palisades needed to defeat South Bay on Sunday to advance to the Super Regionals, but lost 8-1 despite a strong performance by Hayden Prince, who had three hits with one RBI and pitched 2.2 innings. The 10Us finished 11-17.
The 12Us, coached by Steve Yi, allowed 13 runs in the first inning Friday versus Redondo Sunset, but rode the arm of Thomas Wynperle to a 4-0 shutout of East Long Beach B on Saturday.
Wynperle tossed a four-hitter with nine strikeouts while throwing 86 pitches in 6 2/3 innings. Reliever Beckett Yo got the final out on a ground ball to second.
Palisades scored three runs in the second. Andrew Lubliner hit a one-out single, stole second and took third on a fielder’s choice. Ian Sullivan dropped a blueprint bunt down the third-base line, to score Lubliner, Beckett hit an RBI single to right and Wynperle walked to force in another run. Victor Lowe’s infield single scored Wynperle to close out the scoring in the top of the seventh. Oliver Arenson had two hits.
Facing elimination again Sunday against Each Long Beach A on Field 2, Palisades rallied to take a 6-5 lead in the third but fell 12-8.
Pierce Bergstein had three hits and pitched 3.2 innings with three strikeouts and Wynperle had three RBIs. The 10U Super Regional is this weekend in Corona and the 12U Super Regional is in Whittier.
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