MORGAN HILL -- The Morgan Hill Pinto Green All-Stars today will play the first of what they hope will be two games to decide their host section championship.
With their 6-2 win over Morgan Hill's Gold team in an elimination game Monday, the Green All-Stars clinched a rematch with undefeated San Jose Pacific, the only club that has beaten them in the five-team tournament.
"The kids were really excited to win that game," Green manager Randy Romriell said Tuesday. "It was a well-played game by both sides. I'm glad it was close; this was two very good Morgan Hill teams."
The Green All-Stars and San Jose Pacific will meet at 5:30 p.m. at Britton Middle School. Should Romriell's team win, they will play again at the same time Wednesday.
The Morgan Hill Section champion will advance to regionals.
"The main thing is, we have to hit the ball this time against them," Romriell said, alluding to his team's tournament-opening 4-1 loss to San Jose Pacific. "I think we had one or two hits the first time we played them. They have a couple of really good pitchers. We need to put the ball in play."
Cole Dunne and Anthony DiVittorio supplied plenty of offense and defense for the Green All-Stars on Monday. Dunne doubled, singled and made several big plays at second base, and DiVittorio singled, scored a run and threw a runner out at first from right field.
"It was a good hard-fought game," Gold manager Vince La Gatta said. "Both teams played hard and showed good sportsmanship -- that was the most important thing. We represented Morgan Hill Pony Baseball very well."
Blake Mercurio and Daniel Vo scored respective runs in the first and second innings to help build a 2-1 lead for Gold, but Green went ahead for good with three runs in the bottom of the second.
Donald Ukanwa scored twice, and Damon Rodriguez and Cole McGowen added runs for Green.
"As the younger 'B' team, we battled; and as the older more experienced 'A' team, they pulled it out like they're supposed to," La Gatta said. "Hopefully, they'll go out there and win tonight."
La Gatta noted exceptional efforts by Jonathan Singleton, Samantha Brenny, Colton Moorehead and Jakob Neumayer, who helped the Gold All-Stars go 1-2 in the tournament. They won their first game, 9-5, against Blossom Valley '3' before dropping into the loser's bracket with a 4-2 defeat to San Jose Pacific.
"They just keep throwing strikes, so you just have to put the ball in play and make them make outs," La Gatta said of San Jose Pacific. "You have to be aggressive on the base paths, too -- take open bases when they give them to you and be as aggressive as you can.
"We struck out 16 times against them last time. You can do that and expect to beat them."
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