Jul 6, 2008

Big inning lifts Half Moon Bay

By John Mylod / Daily News Correspondent

Cohlton Gonsalves' two-out grand slam capped an eight-run fifth inning as Half Moon Bay downed San Carlos 9-5 Saturday in the winners-bracket final of the Little League District 52 10-and-11-year-old All-Stars Tournament at Fairway Park in Pacifica.

The teams are no strangers. Last year San Carlos rose from the losers bracket and beat Half Moon Bay in Game 1 of the championship. Half Moon Bay won the second game to win the title.

"We love playing (San Carlos) because it's always such a great game," Half Moon Bay coach Jennifer Freeman said. "It's exciting."

San Carlos got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning. Chris Quinn led off with the first of his two hits. After a walk and a fielder's choice, the San Carlos cleanup hitter came to the plate. Down 0-2 in the count, Nolan Dempsey saw a surprise.

"I wasn't sure if he'd throw me a curveball or any junk," Dempsey said. "but I saw fastball and just tried to hit a line drive, and it happened to go out.

The "line drive" was stopped by a tree about 15 feet above the fence in left field.

Half Moon Bay cut into the 3-0 lead in the top of the second. Zane Gelphman walked and was forced at second by Josh McKnight. Cody Dexter followed with a two-out RBI double that scored McKnight. Batting from the seventh spot, Dexter had two hits, two RBI and a run scored.

"There are no holes," Freeman said of her lineup. "The nice thing to know is that you have a guy who can hit, bunt, and run in every spot, subs included."

Brushing off the three-run homer, Gelphman shut down San Carlos for the next three innings. In the second, third and fourth innings, he gave up only three baserunners. Two of the runners were thrown out trying to steal by catcher Derek Ackerman.

"I think he got better as the game went on," Freeman said. "I bet if he could have finished the game (he reached the league mandated pitch count), he would have gotten better still."

Behind the pitching of Quinn, San Carlos held a slim 3-1 lead entering the top of the fifth. Half Moon Bay took advantage of four walks and scored eight times against three San Carlos pitchers to break open the close game. Gonsalves and Ackerman singled and were sacrificed to second and third by Sam Vaughn. Gonsalves scored on a fielder's choice and the lead was cut to one. Ackerman scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at three. Four of the next five batters walked. Two of the free passes came with the bases loaded.

Now leading 5-3, Gonsalves came to the plate looking for something "down the middle at the knees" and he got it. The first pitch Gonsalves saw he hit over the wall in left-center for a grand slam.

"I knew that no matter what, I was going to go up there and do my best and just look for my pitch," Gonsalves said. "I did look for my pitch, and I got a grand slam."

Curtis Witt's two-out, two run hit in the bottom of the fifth cut the lead to 9-5.

The comeback win propels Half Moon Bay into Wednesday's championship game at 5:30 at Fairway Park.

San Carlos will play Tuesday night at 5:30 at Fairway Park. Their opponent will be decided Monday evening.