Sunnyside Little League Juniors All-Stars rallied for five runs in the bottom of the seventh to make things uncomfortable for Copper Hills, and it tried to be more aggressive with two of its players trying to steal third and second base with two outs.
Sunnyside had the potentially winning run at the plate in the form of slugger Jesus Luevanos, who led off the seventh inning with what was ruled a home run over the right field fence (Copper Hills argued it should have been a ground-rule double).
The aggressive move on the basepaths by the runners — Sunnyside president Manny Rodriguez said they were not signaled to steal — backfired as Copper Hills catcher Vaughn Sexton threw the runner out at third base to clinch the 13-11 win in the championship round of the District 12 tournament at Jesse Owens Park.
Vaughn Sexton reminded me I interviewed him last year after he had a 5-for-5 performance during Copper Hills’ run to the 50/70 District 12 title. He is performing big again for CH in the District 12 Juniors championship round. pic.twitter.com/Xm6nxbtRn3
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 1, 2022
Sunnyside’s two coaches argued the call at third base and were ejected, which means they are unable to attend Friday’s deciding game of the series at 6:30 p.m. at Jesse Owens Park. The winner advances to the Juniors state tournament hosted by District 5 with the games at Mehl Park and Curtis Park starting July 8.
Copper Hills, which lost to Sunnyside 17-6 to open the tournament, have staved off elimination in four straight games entering Friday’s final.
“It’s baseball so there’s no reason to be nervous,” said Sexton, who went 2 for 5 with two runs and two RBIs and a stolen base. “We’re just having fun.”
Copper Hills was ahead of Sunnyside from the beginning, scoring in each of the first three innings.
Sexton’s two-run single followed by Sebastian Gallardo’s RBI single in the third inning, capped a four-run rally to put Copper Hills ahead 9-2.
Copper Hills LL Juniors All-Star second baseman Chris Smith achieved the rare feat of five runs (coming after three walks and two singles) in the 13-11 win over Sunnyside that forced a deciding game Friday in the District 12 championship. pic.twitter.com/KoK6jZn7ZI
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 1, 2022
Gallardo also had an RBI single in the top of the first that plated Chris Smith, who went on to score five times in each of his plate appearances.
“We got beat pretty bad (by Sunnyside in the opening round), so this means much to us,” said Smith, who hit two singles and walked three times. “It feels good being really disciplined at the plate and scoring each time. Even my teammates hitting me in, it means a lot.”
Sunnyside’s lineup started to put hits together in the bottom of the third, scoring four times to cut the lead to 9-6.
Mitzael Lopez, Alex Obregon and Angel Rodriguez each had RBI singles and a Gael Martinez a run-scoring double in the rally for Sunnyside, which was 3-0 in the tournament before Thursday.
Copper Hills reliever Alec Jimenez entered in the fourth inning and kept Sunnyside scoreless over the next three innings. His lineup, meanwhile, scored four times over the fifth through seventh innings to build the 13-6 lead.
Smith scored two of the runs after reaching on singles. Henry Kafton had an RBI single as part of the scoring stretch.
“We have been sweeping through the loser’s bracket looking for payback, retribution, whatever you want to call it,” Copper Hills manager Junior Alegria said. “We want to win. We want this.”
Sunnyside’s five-run seventh inning included Luevanos’ home run, RBI singles by Rodriguez and Flores and an RBI double for Carlos Urias.
Alegria made a pitching change after Flores’ RBI single cut the lead to 13-11 with one out.
Copper Hills manager Junior Alegria talks about holding off Sunnyside 13-11 after Sunnyside rallied for five runs and had the winning run at the plate in the seventh. The teams play again tomorrow in the deciding game for the District 12 title. pic.twitter.com/2D8hRYDxDj
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 1, 2022
He summoned his son Nicholas Alegria to the mound. Nicholas struck out the second batter he faced and then Sexton threw out the runner trying to steal third base for the last out.
Sexton and all of Copper Hills’ team that won the Intermediate (50/70) District 12 championship last summer are part of the Juniors team.
“I think that experience goes a long way,” the elder Alegria said of last year’s district title. “We have two kids we had to bring up from the majors to complete our team because we lost a couple before the season started.
“Those younger kids knowing we’ve had the older kids who have gone to state before it’s helping build that confidence for them to play at this level.”
DISTRICT CHAMPIONS
D-5 SOFTBALL 8-10: THORNYDALE
D-12 SOFTBALL 8-10: SUNNYSIDE
D-12 SOFTBALL 9-11: RINCON
D-5 SOFTBALL 10-12: THORNYDALE
D-12 SOFTBALL 10-12: SUNNYSIDE
D-5 SOFTBALL JUNIORS: MARANA
D-12 SOFTBALL JUNIORS: SUNNYSIDE
D-5 BASEBALL 8-10: CANYON VIEW
D-5 BASEBALL 9-11: CANYON VIEW
D-8 BASEBALL 9-11: NOGALES
D-5 BASEBALL 10-12: MARANA
D-5 BASEBALL 50/70: WESTERN
D-8 BASEBALL 50/70: NOGALES
D-12 BASEBALL 50/70: SUNNYSIDE
D-5 BASEBALL JUNIORS: WESTERN
D-8 BASEBALL JUNORS: NOGALES
THURSDAY, JUNE 30
D-12 BASEBALL 9-11: FIELD OF DREAMS
Rincon 8, Sunnyside 1
D-12 BASEBALL 10-12: FIELD OF DREAMS
Sunnyside 14, Empire 4
D-12 JUNIOR BASEBALL: JESSE OWENS
Copper Hills 13, Sunnyside 11
D-12 SOFTBALL 8-10: FIELD OF DREAMS
Sunnyside 9, Southwestern 3 (Champions)
FRIDAY, JULY 1
D-12 BASEBALL 8-10: PURPLE HEART
Empire vs. Rincon, 5:15 p.m.
Copper Hills vs. Sunnyside, 7:45 p.m. (Elimination)
D-12 BASEBALL 10-12: FIELD OF DREAMS
Randolph vs. Cactus, 5:15 p.m. (Elimination)
Southwestern vs. Sunnyside, 7:45 p.m. (Elimination)
D-12 JUNIOR BASEBALL: JESSE OWENS
Copper Hills vs. Sunnyside, 6:30 p.m. (Championship)
SATURDAY, JULY 2
D-12 BASEBALL 8-10: PURPLE HEART
Elimination Game, 6:30 p.m.
D-12 BASEBALL 9-11: FIELD OF DREAMS
Cactus vs. Rincon, 6:30 p.m. (Championship)
D-12 BASEBALL 10-12: FIELD OF DREAMS
Copper Hills vs. Rincon, 5:15 p.m.
Elimination Game, 7:45 p.m.
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