PPBA 13U All-Stars Triumph at Cheviot Hills Memorial Tourney

The Pacific Palisades Baseball Association’s 13U Pony All-Star team captured the Cheviot Hill Memorial Tournament, outscoring its opponents 14-6 along the way.

Palisades won its pool with wins against Santa Monica Academy and Cheviot Hills, then ousted Cheviot Hills again 4-3 in 10 innings in the championship game May 29.

Coached by Tripp Nassour, Blake Schinto and Troy Miller, the roster consisted of Claudio Acuna, Blake Anna, Carter Branch, Ravi Chernack, Owen Ghaffari, Levi Gibbons, Tommy Lavia, Cole Miller,

Liam Nassour, Oliver O’Donnell,

Wyatt Schinto and Walter Sibson.

Against Santa Monica Academy, O’Donnell started on the mound and pitched four innings, allowing only one run. Lavia threw two scoreless innings to close out the 4-1 win. Miller, Anna, Branch and Lavia each scored a run.

In the second round of pool play, Palisades beat Cheviot Hills 6-2. This time Miller started on the hill and lasted four innings, giving up a run. Nassour pitched the final three innings and surrendered one run. In the second inning, Gibbons and Schinto scored on Sibson’s single. Acuna knocked Sibson in on a fielder’s choice to give Palisades an early 3-1 lead. In the fourth inning, Schinto’s single scored Nassour and O’Donnell’s double scored Schinto and Sibson to push the lead to 6-1.  Cheviot Hills got a run in the sixth.    

Having taken first place in its pool, Palisades received a semifinal bye and advanced to the Monday final.  Other 13U teams kept playing and Cheviot Hills battled back to earn a spot in the championship game.

O’Donnell pitched the first three  plus innings and Miller relieved him and went the rest of the way.

Palisades tied it 2-2 in the bottom of the first on Sibson’s double and Gibbons’ single. Cheviot Hills took a 3-2 lead in the fourth, but Chernack doubled in the sixth and scored on Nassour’s sacrifice fly. Ghaffari threw out a runner trying to steal, Sibson made numerous catches in left field and Schinto accounted for 10 put-outs without an error.

In the bottom of the 10th, Nassour stole third and the catcher’s throw rolled into the outfield, allowing Nassour to slide home safely with the game-winning run.