Sonoma Little Leaguers head to All-Star season

The weekend of June 12 saw Little League playoff action at Paul’s Field, as well as Teeter and Hughes fields. It could be the second-to-last season to be played at Paul’s Field, which may not be available after 2017.

The number one-seeded Cardinals swept their way through the Sonoma City Majors Tournament blanking the number three-seeded Red Sox 5-0 in the championship game over the June 12 weekend. The Cardinals finished a perfect 4-0 in the tournament capping off an impressive 21-4 season claiming both the regular season and City Tournament championships.

The Cardinals then went on to best the Middletown Cobb Rays in Team of Champions playoff, cruising to a 10-0 victory behind a combined no-hitter from the pitching staff. Starter Dom Girish went 3-2/3 innings, striking out 9 batters and only allowing one batter to reach base on an error. He also gave the Cards the lead when he blasted a 2-run homer in the second inning.

Jasper Ray pitched the bottom of the fourth in relief and recorded one out on just one pitch. Ray was 2-for-2 at the plate with a walk 2 RBI’s and 3 runs scored. Jack Spencer got rallies started in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th innings as he was 3-for-3 with 3 runs scored.

But the Cardinals flight ended in the next game, as they lost to Napa American 3-1 and were eliminated.

Comprising the Majors Division champion Cardinals were manager Craig Ray and assistant coaches Ricky Grech, Russ Lucia, Andy Tolbert, Jonah Son. Players: Erik Cab, Dominic Girish, Alex Hoffman, Ashton Kirby, Jair Madrigal, Austen Pagh, Wyatt Pagh, Jasper Ray, Mason Rooney, Nicolas Scevola, Nathaniel Simonson and Jack Spencer.

The Red Sox dropped their first game in the single-elimination TOC tournament in a close battle with Fairfield Pacific, falling on the short end of a 12-8 score.

The Majors Division runner-up Red Sox were composed of manager Mike Sangiacomo and assistant coaches David Boydell, Jack Foster and Ryan Parlett with players Grant Boydell, Sam Cutting, Jack Foster, Joshua Hernandez, David Larsen, Caden Parlett, Mac Portello, Gavin Rognlien, Ethan Routhier, Robbie Sangiacomo, Nicolas Sebastiani and Tsheten Sherpa.

In AAA action, the sixth-seeded Rangers edged out number one seeded A’s 12-11 in the AAA Championship game on Monday 6/13 to claim the City Tournament championship. The #1 seeded A’s battled their way back through the losers bracket to get back to the Championship game. The Rangers who entered the Championship game undefeated in the tournament needed to be beaten twice. The A’s came out strong beating the Rangers 11-7 in game 1, forcing a final, winner-take-all showdown. In an exciting final game that was a back and forth nail biter, the Rangers held onto a 12-11 victory to claim the title.

The Rangers were eliminated in their first TOC game losing a high-scoring but close game to American Canyon 16-13.

Comprising the AAA Division champion Rangers, managed by Ezra Pucci and assistant coaches David Iniguez and Todd Shinn, are Jacques De Tessan, Nicholas Voegels, Kevin Montes, Sebastian Huber, Thomas Walsh, Julian Brenek, Connor Cheeseman, Emiliano Iniguez, Hank Portello, Daniel Pucci, Spencer Jacobs and Norman Shinn.

Comprising the AAA Division runner up A’s were manager Vince Briggs and assistant coaches Dan Benzon, Justin Silloway and Jeremy Whitten, with players Christopher Barrios, Jackson Benzon, Benjamin Boles, David Briggs, Colby Tiernan, Charlie Evans, Oisin Heffernan, Kieran O’Driscoll, Eddia Padilla, Owen Powers, Joshua Silloway and Owen Whitten.

All-Star games for Sonoma Little Leaguers begin Saturday, July 2, with different age levels playing in elimination tournament in Benicia (12-year-olds), Fairfield (11-year olds) and American Canyon (10-year-olds).