Sunnyside’s fate for a District 12 Little League Majors title and spot in the state tournament hinged on a shallow hard-hit ball in the air to left-center field by Copper Hills’ Cole Senne with two outs in the top of the eighth inning and the runner on third heading toward home.
The game was a stalemate at the point, pitching from both sides dominating the other.
“I saw it first hit off the barrel and I took a good angle,” Sunnyside center fielder Jaylee Abraham said after the 1-0 win at Field of Dreams Park on Friday. “I just took a down break and I caught it.”
Abraham, who broke toward the ball without hesitation, slid in time to cradle it in his glove as he rolled to the ground for the last out, providing the opportunity for Sunnyside to score the game’s first run in the bottom of the inning.
JAYLEE ABRAHAM with the spectacular catch in CF for the last out. Copper Hills had a runner on third base. Sunnyside coming up in the bottom of the eighth in the scoreless tie! pic.twitter.com/0OXTj6mcYz
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 9, 2022
Sunnyside LL Majors All-Star CF Jaylee Abraham made the sliding catch for Copper Hills’ last out in the eighth and then hit an infield single in the bottom of the inning to move to third Eli Urias, who eventually scored the winning run on a wild pitch. pic.twitter.com/mF3Jvsxmjf
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 9, 2022
With the international rules in effect, a runner automatically placed at second base because the game reached the eighth inning, Abraham ran out an infield grounder to second base that advanced the runner (Eli Urias) to third base.
Copper Hills opted to intentionally walk cleanup batter Christian Moran to load the bases and create a force out at any base. Moran, a dangerous batter in that situation, went 3 for 3 with two RBIs in Thursday’s 5-0 win over Copper Hills to force a deciding game.
With Nomar Guadarrama at the plate, Copper Hills had a wild pitch that bounced off the catcher’s leg toward first base. Urias ran home and slid onto home plate in time for the winning run.
SUNNYSIDE wins the District 12 title with a 1-0 thriller over Copper Hills in the bottom of the eighth inning. It advances to the state tournament in Litchfield Park starting July 16. WOW. pic.twitter.com/lT4qCSysAA
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 9, 2022
Euphoria for Sunnyside set in, its sixth-straight win in elimination games complete after losing the opening-round game to Rincon 2-0. Manager David Gandarela Sr.’s team won the last six games by a combined score of 37-5. It won its last five games allowing only one run, in a span of 32 innings.
His team won three straight shutouts to complete the masterful run — 1-0 over Rincon and 5-0 and 1-0 in eight innings against Copper Hills, which reached the championship round 3-0 outscoring opponents 27-2.
“Defense wins championships; that’s our motto,” Gandarela said. “We relied on our defense a lot. The bats weren’t working but when we need them, they did. The team prides itself on its defense and we pulled it off.”
Abraham’s highlight-reel catch in the top of the eighth inning to keep the game scoreless is an example of how Sunnyside’s defense came through with big plays when it needed them.
“Nobody better than Jaylee in center field,” Gandarela said. “That dude’s an athlete, man. He’s a phenom.”
Moran and Copper Hills’ towering right-hander Augustin Lara (who’s close to 5-foot-10 in this age bracket of 10 to 12 year-olds) kept each lineup in check throughout their time on the mound.
Lara did not allow Sunnyside to get a hit until Urias had a two-out single in the fifth inning. He finished with six strikeouts and three walks before leaving with two baserunners on with an out in the sixth inning. Reliever Sebastian Castelo struck out the next two batters to end the threat.
What a time for Sunnyside manager David Gandarela Sr. coaching his son David Jr. to LL Majors All-Star state tourney with tonight’s 1-0 win over Copper Hills in D12 championship & daughter Alexia with Sunnyside Majors softball team that begins play in the state tourney tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/0t8OMnMqG0
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 9, 2022
Sunnyside LL Majors All-Stars pitcher Christian Moran pitched six shutout innings in a duel with Copper Hills starter Augustin Lara in his team’s 1-9 win in eight innings. Moran had eight strikeouts and scattered six hits with no walks. pic.twitter.com/Dez1EtZRVJ
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 9, 2022
Moran scattered six hits in six innings with eight strikeouts and no walks. He did not allow a baserunner to get past second base.
“I felt nervous, thought I’d give up a couple runs, but I pulled it off,” Moran said. “We’re a really good pitching and defensive team.”
Alex Ramirez, who relieved Moran after Sergio Martinez reached base on a leadoff bunt single in the seventh, is a compact pitcher who has a very live hard-throwing arm. Martinez moved to third base on a ground out and a wild pitch but Ramirez ended the inning with a strikeout.
In the bottom of the seventh, Sunnyside’s Sabino Carrillo Jr. led off with a single but was caught stealing by Martinez, Copper Hills’ catcher. Castelo retired the next two batters, including one by strikeout.
Sunnyside LL Majors All-Star SS/P Alex Ramirez turned a crucial double play in the game and also was effective in relief in the seventh and eighth holding Copper Hills scoreless despite a runner on third base in each inning. Didn’t allow hit and had two K’s/no walks. pic.twitter.com/H2W5zQB4Rt
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 9, 2022
Copper Hills’ eighth inning started with Zacharia Garcia sacrifice bunting the automatic runner (Grayson Claiborne) to third base. Ramirez got the next batter to strikeout and then Senne followed with his full-count hit that Abraham tracked down in shallow center field.
“When I came in, I felt really nervous, but after that, I felt really great,” Ramirez said.
Abraham’s infield single then set up Sunnyside’s winning rally in the bottom of the eighth.
Sunnyside heads to the state tournament that starts July 16 at Litchfield Park. Marana of District 5 is also in the tournament. The winner between Douglas and Sierra Vista on Saturday at Nogales will determine District 8’s representative in the state tournament.
Sunnyside LL Majors take the victory lap with the District 12 championship banner. On to the state tournament, starting July 16 at Litchfield Park. Age group that goes to Williamsport. pic.twitter.com/ySmuLbbPrD
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 9, 2022
DISTRICT CHAMPIONS
D-5 SOFTBALL 8-10: THORNYDALE
D-8 SOFTBALL 8-10: WILLCOX
D-12 SOFTBALL 8-10: SUNNYSIDE
D-12 SOFTBALL 9-11: RINCON
D-5 SOFTBALL 10-12: THORNYDALE
D-8 SOFTBALL 10-12: SIERRA VISTA PONYTAIL
D-12 SOFTBALL 10-12: SUNNYSIDE
D-5 SOFTBALL JUNIORS: MARANA
D-8 SOFTBALL JUNIORS: BENSON SAN PEDRO
D-12 SOFTBALL JUNIORS: SUNNYSIDE
D-5 BASEBALL 8-10: CANYON VIEW
D-8 BASEBALL 8-10: NOGALES
D-12 BASEBALL 8-10: RINCON
D-5 BASEBALL 9-11: CANYON VIEW
D-8 BASEBALL 9-11: NOGALES
D-12 BASEBALL 9-11: RINCON
D-5 BASEBALL 10-12: MARANA
D-12 BASEBALL 101-2: SUNNYSIDE
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 JUNIORS: NOGALES
D-12 BASEBALL JUNIORS: SUNNYSIDE
D-8 BASEBALL SENIORS: NOGALES
FRIDAY, JULY 8
D-8 BASEBALL 10-12: NOGALES
Sierra Vista 6, Nogales 4
D-12 BASEBALL 10-12: FIELD OF DREAMS
Sunnyside 1, Copper Hills 0 (8)
STATE 9-11 SOFTBALL: FOUNTAIN HILLS (D-6)
CF LL D-3 27, Rincon 0
STATE MAJORS SOFTBALL: CAMP VERDE (D-10)
Camp Verde 12, Thornydale 2
Flagstaff 12, Sierra Vista 0
STATE JUNIORS SOFTBALL: AVONDALE (D-2)
Thornydale 23, Benson San Pedro 6
SATURDAY, JULY 9
D-8 BASEBALL 10-12: NOGALES
Douglas vs. Sierra Vista, 10 a.m. (Championship)
STATE JUNIORS BASEBALL: CURTIS/MEHL (D-5)
Sunnyside vs. Flagstaff, 8 a.m. (Curtis)
Nogales vs. Westwood, 10 a.m. (Mehl)
Western vs. TBD, 7:30 p.m. (Curtis)
STATE 9-11 SOFTBALL: FOUNTAIN HILLS (D-6)
Rincon vs. Flagstaff, 8:30 a.m. (Elimination)
STATE MAJORS SOFTBALL: CAMP VERDE (D-10)
Sunnyside vs. Camp Verde, 8 p.m.
STATE JUNIORS SOFTBALL: AVONDALE (D-2)
Sunnyside vs. St. John’s, 7:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, JULY 10
STATE MAJORS SOFTBALL: CAMP VERDE (D-10)
Thornydale vs. TBD, 8 p.m. (Elimination)
Sierra Vista vs. TBD, 8 p.m. (Elimination)
STATE JUNIORS SOFTBALL: AVONDALE (D-2)
Thornydale vs. TBD, 7:30 p.m.
Benson San Pedro vs. Parker, 5:30 p.m. (Elimination)
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon. He became an educator five years ago and is presently a special education teacher at Gallego Fine Arts Intermediate in the Sunnyside Unified School District.
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