Jul 10, 2008

Champions once more

Half Moon Bay 10-and-11-year-old all-stars celebrate another Little League title

By Julio Lara / Daily News Correspondent

It's usually a bad thing when you find yourself drenched in apple cider in the middle of the afternoon.

But if you are Half Moon Bay coach Jennifer Freeman, it's no problem - you can use your latest championship banner to dry up if you choose to do so.

"No," Freeman said when it was suggested that she should use the banner to clean up. "It's going up next to the one from last year."

For the second year in a row, Freeman has led a Half Moon Bay team to a District 52 title, as this time her 10-and-11-year-old All-Stars defeated San Carlos in emphatic fashion 11-0 in a four-inning steam roll.

Considering the history between these two teams, the relative ease in which HMB captured its latest championship was very surprising.

"We've been in battles before," said San Carlos manager Chris Quinn. "But not today. What can you do? It wasn't meant to be."

Half Moon Bay fired the first couple of shots right off the bat, scoring five runs in the first inning. Derek Ackerman led off with a double and Frank Lemos followed with a triple to give HMB a quick 1-0 lead. They'd follow that with a walk and another two-bagger, this time courtesy of Enrico Nuno. It was a start that Freeman predicted.

"When I told them we were visitors, it was just what I envisioned would happen," Freeman said.

The 5-0 lead to start the first seemed to deflate the San Carlos squad, as error after error ensued - traits that were atypical of a good San Carlos team.

"I think they surprised themselves," Freeman said about the play of San Carlos.

"We were sloppy with the ball," Quinn said. "They hit the ball really well (and) it's tough against a guy like Nuno."

Nuno was spectacular for HMB. At the plate he was his usually over-powering self. But his performance on the mound raised some eyebrows, in a good way.

"We weren't sure if he could go the distance," Freeman said, adding that last time big No. 15 only went two innings.

HMB scored another run in the second on a double steal. It added one more in the top of the third to make it 7-0.

San Carlos gave HMB its best shot in the bottom of the third. In all, San Carlos would have five runners in the inning, though none scored. They left the bases loaded with Nuno getting a strikeout to end the San Carlos threat.

It was a matter of time before HMB scored the three runs it needed to mercy-rule San Carlos. HMB scored four in the top of the fourth, stringing together five singles in the process.

While San Carlos didn't quit, the mountain was far to steep to climb. Nuno struck out the first two in the game's final frame, then gave up back-to-back knocks to stir the pot a little. But a fielder's choice ended things for San Carlos.

The celebration began for HMB. After receiving their medals, they chased Freeman around the field, shaking bobbles of cider and drenching her with the victory bubbly. She was no match for the five or six players tracking her down.

"That's the thing about this team," Freeman said, "we don't have one superstar, we have 11. We have 11 players committed to the very end."

With a team committed to winning, the end might not be anytime soon for HMB. Their summer continues with a trip to Regionals.