10-Under Major:
Twenty-One teams started on Saturday in the 10-Under division, with only eight teams advancing to the Playoffs on Monday. This made every game incredibly important, as there were 3-1 teams that didn't make the playoffs. That extra run given up, or that run that didn't score make all the difference.
1st Seed Cory Lidle Baseball showed why California teams are a forced to be reckoned with at the Elite World Series. Going 4-0 in Pool Play, they gave up just 8 runs in four games headed into the playoffs. Not a heavy hitting team, they relied on strong pitching and solid defense to take them to the playoffs. After winning their Semifinal and Quarterfinal games and giving up no runs, they advanced to the finals.
6th Seed SGV Hustle entered Sunday at 3-1. Their first game was against the team that had handed them their one loss in their fourth game of Pool Play. No ready to go home that early, they held them to just two runs in a Quarterfinal upset that took them to the Semifinals. They would upset the 2nd Seed to advance to the finals for the chance to upset the only other undefeated team.
Cory Lidle was ready for the Hustle though. Giving up their first runs of the day, they were able to outscore the Hustle 6-4, taking home the Championship and getting ready for the Elite World Series
11-Under Major:
With just 5 of the 10 teams advancing to the playoffs on Monday, the 11-Under Division had to be on their toes every game. Of the five teams that advanced, four of them were 3-1 and the other team was 4-0. So while some teams were the 4th and 5th Seeds, this was a very evenly matched set of teams, so it was up for grabs for any of the five.
4th Seed Sandlot All Stars set out to prove just that point. After winning their quarterfinal game, they advanced to the Semifinal, where they would face the 1st Seed. Not intimidated by that prospect, they buckled down, and were able to pull out a harrowing 6-5 upset over the first seed, advancing to the finals.
2nd Seed VSA Vipers also went 3-1 in Pool Play. Losing only to the 1st Seed. Now with them out of the question, they were liking their prospects. Giving up zero runs in their Semifinal game, they advanced to the final where they would face the hot Sandlot All Stars.
The All Stars, now on their third game of the day, just couldn't keep up with the VSA Vipers. The Vipers shut them out, taking First Place and headed to the Elite World Series
12-Under Major:
The 12-Under Major division featured the 1st and 2nd place finishers at last year's Elite World Series. Any team wanting to make a run at a 1st Place finish would have to take on not one, but two of them on Monday. The Sandlot All Stars were up to that task. Like their 11-Under teammates, they entered Sunday as the 4th Seed. They won their quarter final game, and advanced to face the 1st Seed Diamond Stingrays.
The Stingrays not only won the Elite WS last year, they went 9-0 and outscored teams 4:1. They also beat the All Stars on Saturday 4-3. Sandlot wasn't about to let that happen again, and like their 11-Under teammates, they upset the 1st seed with a 6-4 victory to advance to the finals.
The SY Titans came in Second place at the Elite WS last year to the Stingrays. Entering Monday as the 3rd Seed, their first game was against NLA, the team that had beaten them in Pool Play. Another close game between the two, and the Titans came out with a 9-8 victory. They would move on to face the undefeated 2nd Seed in the Semifinal. Not scared at the matchup, they upset them with a 6-4 victory to move to the finals.
Now with both teams on their third games of the day, and seventh of the weekend, pitching started to get a little tired. Sandlot was looking to knock off the top two teams from the last year, and was able to hold them to just four runs while scoring eight of their own. They are headed to the Elite World Series, where there's a good chance they'll run into the Stingrays and Titans again, and they'll be ready for them
13-Under Major:
Brotherly competition started off Monday's playoff games. The Cal Lumberjacks and the Cal Lumberjacks Black. The two teams met in Pool Play, with the Lumberjacks Black coming out on top. The 5th Seed Lumberjacks got even though. Winning the Quarterfinal game over the Lumberjacks Black, they moved on to face the 1st Seed. Still running on adrenaline from their Quarter final win, they shut down the 1st Seed's bats, giving up just one run in a 5-1 victory to advance to the finals.
On the other side of the bracket, the Outlaws upset the 2nd Seed to advance to the Championship game. They found themselves against the underdog Lumberjacks. The Lumberjacks, now on their third game of the day just ran out of pitching. The scored seven runs, but gave up too many as the Outlaws clinched the Championship and a trip to Florida.
14-Under Major:
The 14-Under Playoff bracket was a beast of a bracket. With two playoff games on Sunday night, all ten teams were vying for a shot at winning the berth. The 8th Seed SGV Bombers made an impressive run through the playoffs. Let's see how it ended up for them.
After winning their qualifying playoff game on Sunday night, they advanced to face the 1st Seed in the Quarterfinal. In what was a great game, the Bombers upset the 1st Seed with a 3-1 victory. In the Semifinal, they upset the 4th Seed in another nailbiter of a game, winning 3-2. Could they do it a third time in the finals?
The Westlake Coyotes finished Pool Play at 2-0-1, giving up just two runs, and they entered Monday as the 2nd Seed. They held their opponents to 1 run in the Quarterfinal, and shut out the 3rd Seed in the Semifinal to advance to the finals.
They Bombers and Coyotes met in Pool Play, ending in a 0-0 tie. This was their opportunity to find closure on their first game. Unfortunately for the Bombers, now on their seventh game of the weekend, their pitching was running on empty. The Coyotes, who had one less game, still looked sharp on the mound, and outscored the Bombers 8-1, in a wild and crazy Monday playoffs.
Thank you to all the teams that played this weekend in all divisions and at all the parks. Congratulations to the teams advancing to the Elite World Series. We know you're going to go far in the Tournament. Here is a list of the Champions and Runner-Ups from all parks.
See you on the fields
-AC
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