Nicknamed the "Thrill," Morgan Hill's 11-and-under Bronco Division all-stars captured the Santa Clara/Alameda County Section championship with a 20-2 win over Blossom Valley '1' on Tuesday.
The first e-mail Morgan Hill coach Mike Zanotto received after his team's crushing win over Blossom Valley '1' in the 11-and-under Bronco Division section championship said it all.
"You broke the B.V. barrier," it read.
Zanotto's 'A' all-stars, nicknamed the "Thrill," certainly did Tuesday - and in emphatic form. Behind a 16-hit effort that begot a staggering 15-run second inning, Morgan Hill captured the first Santa Clara/Alameda County Section 11U Bronco title in history while beating the same region that churns out Pony all-star juggernauts year in and year out.
On the same afternoon Blossom Valley beat Morgan Hill's Mustang Division 'A' all-stars 10-0 in the Morgan Hill Section championship and less than a week after Blossom Valley ousted Morgan Hill from the Pinto Division NorCal Finals, Zanotto's squad struck back with a 20-2 victory in five innings at San Jose's Herman School.
Morgan Hill collected its 12th straight victory - a streak dating back to a defeat versus Blossom Valley '1' - and kept stride heading into this weekend's regional tournament in Vacaville's John Arlington Park. Morgan Hill opens at noon Saturday against the winner of the Stockton/Modesto/Manteca Section Tournament.
Blossom Valley, nicknamed the Vipers, also advanced.
"I only feel relief right now," Zanotto said. "There's just a lot of relief. There were high expectations on these kids - almost an unfair amount - and people expected them to win. They rose to the occasion."
After taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Mark Quinby's sacrifice fly, scoring Ben Hughes, Morgan Hill blasted the game open in the second. The Thrill batted through its lineup twice, sending 20 men to the plate while totaling eight hits. Hughes scored two of his game-high five runs in the inning, Josh Alaniz singled twice and Alejandro Torres walked home a run and drove in another - all for Morgan Hill.
"I coached dozens upon dozens of Pony League games and I've never seen an inning like that," Zanotto added. "After a couple hits, it was almost surreal. Was this really happening?"
For the Thrill, Bradley Higgins and Mike Porras went 3-for-4 batting; Ian McGowen and Hughes finished 2 for 3, Alaniz went 2 for 2 with two RBIs and Torres drove in four runs. Higgins crossed home three times, and Domenic Zanotto, Quinby, Porras and Alaniz scored twice.
Quinby picked up the win, striking out two batters and allowing two runs on three hits in three innings. After the third, he was lifted for Ethan Cox, who worked a scoreless final two innings.
Cox sent the Vipers down in order to end the game, prompting a collected celebration.
"That's what I was most proud of - the way the kids carried themselves," Zanotto said. "They were professional and respective. They know, on any give day, that team could do the same to us."
BV '1' downs MH 'A' in Mustang section final
The Morgan Hill Mustang Division 'A' all-stars' bid for a section title ended Tuesday with a 10-0 loss to Blossom Valley '1' in the championship series at Britton Field.
The 'A' all-stars, winners of the loser's bracket of the eight-team Morgan Hill sectional, had to beat undefeated Blossom Valley twice.
"It was a great postseason still," Morgan Hill coach Mark Dean said in a telephone interview Wednesday. "The coaches, we're all proud of them for what they accomplished."
Blossom Valley won all but one of its tournament games by 10 runs.
"Blossom Valley is a good ball club," Dean added. "They hit the ball well against us and were able to score runs. They're pitcher was on, too."
Blossom Valley '1' starter Zach Silva tossed a no-hitter in the four-run game. Morgan Hill's only base runners were Luke Newquist and Adam Jennings.
"(Silva) had a great fastball and good command of his pitches," Dean said. "He had a changeup and a curveball, too. You don't usually see kids throwing curveballs at this age."
Dean added that Morgan Hill played a solid game defensively.
The 'A' all-stars' ended final record of 4-2, which included tournament wins over Los Altos, Fremont and two against San Jose PAL, reflects stark improvement from last year's 0-2 finish in Pinto Division section play. Dean expects his players to aim even higher next year in the Bronco 11-and-under Division.
"We told them, 'you set goals for yourself,'" Dean began. "'As long as you give it your all to reach them and you fall short, it's okay.'
"The new goal now is the 11-and-under all-star World Series."
Scott J. Adams Scott J. Adams covers Morgan Hill sports for South Valley Newspapers. Send him an email or call him at 779-4106.
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