Jun 29, 2008

Scott's five RBIs power PA National

Kurtela hits grand slam for Alpine-West Menlo

By John Reid / Daily News Staff Writer

The road to Williamsport is a long one, and the odds of making it are not great. Despite that given, teams in the 17-team Little League District 52 11-and-12-year-old bracket set forth Saturday with their eyes headed toward Pennsylvania and a berth in the Little League World Series.

One team, Palo Alto National, put on a defensive clinic in a 7-5 defeat of Alpine-West Menlo in a marquee matchup at Palo Alto's Middlefield Ballpark.

"Defense wins championships," PA National manager Ted Tracy said after the game.

The way PA National flashed the leather Saturday, opposing teams could have trouble finding holes as the tourney goes along. In one of the great plays of the day, PA National third baseman Jack Cleasby smothered a smash from Alpine's Landon Baty in the second inning that took one's breath away. Cleasby dove to his left to make the play, then gunned down the athletic Baty at first base.

"That was an all-star play," Alpine manager Steve Yecies said. "I told my kids that at this level, you're going to see plays like that."

Alpine started the cagey Mikey Diekroeger on the mound. Diekroeger, who threw a variety of pitches, looked good in striking out four of the first six hitters he faced.

"We knew we were going to have a tough game because Diekroeger is such a good pitcher," Tracy said. "He's solid."

PA National touched Diekroeger for a run in the second inning, scoring with two outs. Rowen Thompson walked, then Jordan Scott's drive to center field bounced up against the fence for a long RBI single as Thompson motored all the way around from first base.

Alpine stormed ahead in the top of the third against Scott. Michael Tinsley singled before Charlie Boyden's fly ball to right was mishandled for PA National's only error of the game. A walk to Diekroeger set the stage for Christian Kurtela. Kurtela unleashed a tape measure shot into the trees in center field for a grand slam, Alpine grabbing a 4-1 lead.

PA National answered in a big way in the bottom of the third. Cleasby's ground-rule double to right field scored James Foug, who had walked to start the inning. Alec Furrier singled in Cleasby. With the bags full, Scott sent a low liner to center field that Baty made a valiant attempt at catching on a dive. The ball got away and three runs scored, Scott settling for a 3-run double.

"Baty is an aggressive player," Yecies said. "That was a great effort. He did the right thing."

Alpine closed the gap to 6-5 on a pinch-hit solo shot from Adam Yecies in the top of the fourth. PA National added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single by Scott, who had himself a career-high five-RBI day on three hits.

"Mikey is a good pitcher," Scott said. "Our hitters did a good job to get some hits off him. But, defense won it for us. Defense is going to take us a long way in this tournament."

Foug played a fluid shortstop, handling all seven of his chances cleanly. Alpine had something brewing in the first inning after Boyden doubled with one out. But Foug fielded Diekroeger's hard grounder and threw out Boyden at third base for the second out of the inning. That play proved huge after Kurtela lined a double to right. Scott got out of it by inducing a grounder to Foug.

Scott worked 3 2/3 innings to get the win, while Cleasby went the rest of the way to record a save.

"Scott and Cleasby are gamers," Tracy said. "We started Scott because he is confident and has the most experience."

Tracy got a bit lucky in the bottom of the fifth because he hadn't had his two bench players - son Kevin Tracy and Conner Scheel - get an at-bat yet. Little League all-star tournament rules require all players to play three consecutive defensive outs and get a minimum one at-bat. Leading 6-5, the first two batters for PA National made outs. Had Kevin Tracy and Scott not reached base (they both singled), Scheel would not have gotten an at-bat. Alpine, if it chose to do so, could have made three outs on purpose in the top of the sixth and won by forfeit after filing a protest.

"We were lucky we got those hitters up to the plate," Ted Tracy admitted after the game. "I'm sure Alpine was aware of it."

The game fittingly ended on a defensive gem by PA National. Left fielder Bowen Gerould made a diving shoestring catch to rob Tinsley. As Gerould headed to the dugout, Cleasby came out to lift Gerould up.

"I thought the ball was going to land," Gerould said. "I was nervous."

PA National battles today's San Carlos-Half Moon Bay winner Wednesday at Hoover Park at 5:30 p.m. In other winner's-bracket games, Foster City faces Highlanders on Tuesday at Middlefield at 5:30 p.m. and San Mateo American meets PA American on Tuesday at Hoover Park at 5:30 p.m. Hillsborough and Pacifica American go at it Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.



E-mail John Reid at jreid@dailynewsgroup.com.



Alpine-West Menlo 004 100 - 5 6 1

PA National 015 01X - 7 8 1

Diekroeger, Tinsley (5) and Tinsley, Lee (5); Scott, Cleasby (4) and Schmutz, Furrier (5). WP-Scott. LP-Diekroeger. Save-Cleasby. 2B - Boyden, Kurtela (A-WM); Cleasby, Scott (PAN). HR - Kurtela, Yecies (A-WM). 3 hits - Scott (PAN). 2 hits - Tinsley, Kurtela (A-WM); Cleasby (PAN). 5 RBI - Scott (PAN). 4 RBI - Kurtela (A-WM).