The Blue All-Stars shake hands with Mission Viejo players after Sunday’s 6-5 loss.
The season is over for the Mustang Blue All-Stars… and what a season it was!
Since the PONY All-Star season began in May, the Pacific Palisades Baseball Association‘s 10U team compiled a remarkable 25-4 record and reeled off an amazing 20 wins in a row. It won the District and Section championships and went 2-2 at the Super Region tournament in San Marcos last weekend.
After comeback victories over Irvine and Orangecrest in its first two games, Blue’s sixth-inning rally fell short in a 6-5 defeat to eventual champion Mission Viejo in the semifinals of the winner’s bracket. Mission Viejo outscored its three other opponents by an average of seven runs.
Blue took on Irvine again in an elimination game Monday afternoon and saw its season come to an end in a 12-11 loss despite 11 hits, a pair of home runs by Jack Gurevitch and one homer each by Skyler Chang and Owen Roy.
“We had a great run and every kid on the team helped us get where we are,” Blue head coach Bruce Wallin said. “We made it farther than we did last year and next season we’ll go all the way.”
The team consisted of PPBA Mustang standouts Jack Gurevitch, Andrew Citron, Oliver Yi, Henry Roth, Marty Kaplan, Wylie Wallin, Dylan Tatum, Skyler Chang, Truman Pauley, Holden Gering, Jack Bowden and Owen Roy.
— Steve Galluzzo
Jack Gurevitch throws a strike in the PONY Super Region Tournament. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Third baseman Marty Kaplan throws across the diamond to get a baserunner. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Marty Kaplan at first base after drawing a walk against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Jack Gurevitch pitched three innings Sunday against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Holden Gering is poised to break for the plate from third base. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Marty Kaplan at third base in Sunday’s game against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Jack Gurevitch pitches against Mission Viejo in the PONY Super Region tournament. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Holden Gering slides safely into second base in Sunday’s game against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
The Mustang Blue All-Stars went 2-2 in the PONY Super Region tournament. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Blue batter Holden Gering gets brushed back by an inside pitch. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Jack Gurevitch hit four home runs in Blue’s two tournament games against Irvine. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Blue’s Marty Kaplan bends back to avoid being hit by a pitch. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
The Blue All-Stars had their 20-game winning streak snapped by Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Blue finished the PONY All-Star season with a stellar 25-4 record. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Holden Gering reaches second base ahead of the throw against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
The Mustang Blue 10U All-Stars went 2-2 in the PONY Super Region playoffs. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Jack Gurevitch pitched the first three innings against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Andrew Citron follows through on a single at the Super Region tournament. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Jack Gurevitch excelled on the mound and at the plate in the PONY Super Region playoffs. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Blue third baseman Marty Kaplan won the PPBA World Series with the Red Sox. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Holden Gering stands on second base during Sunday’s 6-5 loss to Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Dylan Tatum made a dazzling play to rob Mission Viejo’s Braden Pagan of a hit. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Jack Gurevitch throws a strike against Super Region champion Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Marty Kaplan at third base in Blue’s game against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Marty Kaplan gets back to first base ahead of the pick-off throw. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Jack Gurevitch and the Blue All-Stars went 2-2 at the Super Region playoffs in San Marcos. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Marty Kaplan (left) congratulates Dylan Tatum after his throw to first for an out. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Catcher Wylie Wallin reacts after a close play at home plate against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Skyler Chang singled to drive in Blue’s first run Sunday against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Jack Gurevitch pitches in the Super Region playoffs at Mission Sports Park in San Marcos. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Third baseman Marty Kaplan is ready for any ball hit his way against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Jack Gurevitch throws a strike against Mission Viejo in the PONY Super Region tournament. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Catcher Wylie Wallin reacts after a close play at home plate against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Skyler Chang leads off third in the sixth inning against Super Region champion Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
The Blue All-Stars won their first two games at the PONY Super Region tournament. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Blue baserunner Wylie Wallin waits for his chance to steal against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Blue’s Truman Pauley throws a strike in the fifth inning against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Andrew Citron runs to first base after a hit at last weekend’s PONY Super Region tournament. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Skyler Chang tracks down a pop up on the infield as Truman Pauley (left) watches. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Skyler Chang at the plate for the Blue All-Stars at the PONY Super Region tournament. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Jack Gurevitch at first base in Blue’s 6-5 loss to Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Holden Gering scores Blue’s first run after a hit by Skyler Chang against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Shortstop Dylan Tatum throws to first base in Blue’s Super Region game against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Henry Roth hit the game-winning single in Blue’s 11-10 victory over Orangecrest. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Truman Pauley pitched the last three innings Sunday against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
The Blue All-Stars defeated Irvine and Orangecrest in the PONY Super Region playoffs. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Andrew Citron singles during the PONY Super Region playoffs Sunday at Mission Sports Park. /
Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Holden Gering opens his glove wide to make the catch at second base against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Jack Bowden singled to drive in Blue’s final run Sunday against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Making the catch at first base against Mission Viejo in Sunday’s Super Region game. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Holden Gering is safe at third base in Sunday’s Super Region semifinal versus Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
The PPBA’s Mustang Blue All-Stars won 25 of their 29 games this summer. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Truman Pauley pitched the last three innings in Sunday’s game against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Blue batters got seven hits Sunday against state powerhouse Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
The Mustang Blue All-Stars split their four games at the PONY Super Region tournament. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Blue rallied for five runs in their last at-bat Saturday to stun Orangecrest 11-10. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Holden Gering keeps his eyes on the ball as a Mission Viejo runner arrives at second base. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Truman Pauley pitches against Mission Viejo at the PONY Super Region tournament. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Skyler Chang checks his swing in Sunday’s 6-5 loss to eventual champion Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
The PPBA’s Mustang Blue All-Stars had 13 hits in their opening 10-7 victory over Irvine. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Holden Gering bats for the PPBA’s Mustang Blue All-Stars in the PONY Super Region playoffs. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Pitcher Truman Pauley tries to pick a runner off first base against Mission Viejo. / Photo: Steve Galluzzo
