Homers Sink Culver City in District Playoffs

In a game where momentum swung back and forth, the West Los Angeles Little League 11-12 All-Stars beat host Culver City 9-5 in the second round of the District 25 Baseball Tournament on Wednesday at Bill Botts Field.

West LA scored six runs in the first inning, but Culver City responded with five of its own in the second inning before Alex Mills came to the plate with one out in the bottom of the third inning and launched a three-run home run to right-center field that provided the final margin.

West LA will play Ladera in the finals of the winner's bracket on Wednesday, July 6, at 5 p.m. on the same field. Culver City drops to the loser's bracket and will play Santa Monica East in an elimination game at 5 p.m. Thursday. Santa Monica East beat Malibu 5-3 Wednesday at the same site.

Mills led off the bottom of the first inning with a single and Matt Thomas followed with a two-run homer to give West LA a quick 2-0 lead. With one out, Daniel Schreier then hit a three-run homer to center, increasing the lead to 5-0. West LA added a run when Jake Georgeff reached on an error, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on Luke Goldstein's single.

Culver City came roaring back in the top of the second inning when Michael Netzel singled, Noah Martinez walked and Nicholas Tuanchaen singled to score Netzel. Matthew Stewart grounded out to second, then Mason Mulvihill and Jake Benun both reached on errors. Jason Zeidman hit a fielder's choice off the pitcher Mills that scored two runs.

After Marcus Brown reached and advanced to second on a throwing error, Netzel singled him in to cut the West LA lead to 5-4. Martinez again walked and Tuanchaen again singled to score Netzel for Culver City's the fifth run.

"These are two strong teams," Culver City Manager Chip Netzel said. "Our kids have played together for a long time and they like playing with each other. We won the district tournament three or four years ago but we want to go past that."

Mills pitched the first four innings, allowing two hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Matt Thomas pitched the final two innings and retired Culver City in order in the sixth, striking out the last two batters to end the game.

Martinez pitched the first three innings for Culver City but reached his 65-pitch limit and was replaced by Eli Saucedo in the fourth. West LA out-hit Culver City 7-4.