Little League All Stars: Danville Falls Short Against San Ramon

San Ramon 6, Danville 3

Records: San Ramon 2-0, Danville 1-1

The Star:  Jake Ackerman hit a pair of doubles to deep left field, which gave San Ramon the lead in the first inning and padded it in the fourth.

The Turning Point:  San Ramon starter Devin Rocha walked the bases loaded in the top of the first with just one out, but Danville couldn't take advantage. Clayton Tennant struck out and Gregg Polosky grounded out to end the threat.

Who's Next? Danville will face the loser of the Dublin/Livermore National match-up in the losers' bracket. San Ramon plays Pleasanton American next Monday at 5:30 p.m.

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Brent Hughes can only imagine what could have been.

The Danville manager can only think about how a 6-3 loss to San Ramon could have been altered had his team taken advantage when it mattered.

"We didn't take advantage of some scoring opportunities early and they just played better than us. They played a great game and they deserved to win."

With the bases loaded in the top of the first and one out, Danville failed to score and in the third, Ryan Murphy was called out at the plate on a play that could have been ruled interference. Hughes argued that San Ramon catcher Jake Ackerman seemed to obstruct the plate, something that isn't allowed in Little League.

"From where I was, I thought the way he kind of backed up to get to the plate that he kind of obstructed him," Hughes said. "We had our big guy coming and he was a little worried about running into guys so it kind of forced him to slide early, but the umpire didn't see it that way. That was just one run."

Hughes knows had that call gone his way, the game could have played out differently.

"You never know, it most certainly wouldn't have hurt," he said.

Joey Spears had singled to start the frame, and scored on Murphy's single. Jake Hughes hit a double in the fourth, and later scored on a passed ball. Nick Moroney's home run in the fifth cut it to a three-run deficit, but that's as close as Danville would get.   

For San Ramon, Jake Ackerman led the way with a pair of doubles that made the difference. Both brought in runs, one to give San Ramon the lead, the other cushioned it.

"I just try my best every game," said Ackerman. You just look for a pitch to hit and just hit and it's not really my effort but the team effort that counts. The first one was like a foot from the fence. I was down about that one because I was doing the home run trot."

San Ramon scored three more in the second. Grant Mendoza walked to start the inning, and Rocky Moore followed it up with a single. Joey Holden hit a single to load the bases. Mendoza then scored on a wild pitch and Michael Pangelinan's single to left drove in Moore and Holden.

Danville's opponent is yet to be decided, while San Ramon will play Pleasanton National on Monday at Osage Park at 5:30 p.m.

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San Ramon 6, Danville 3

Danville 001 110 — 3 5 1   

San Ramon 230 100 — 6 7 0  

Danville — Spears 3-1-1, Moroney 2-1-1, Vranesh 2-0-1, Murphy 2-0-1, Tennant 2-0-0, Whitten 1-0-0, Polosky 3-0-0, Barcellona 1-0-0, Hughes, 2-1-1, Moore 3-0-0, Lloyd 2-0-0, Matulorich, 1-0-0. Totals 24-3-5.

San Ramon — Jew 2-2-1, Pangelinian 3-0-1, Ackerman 3-1-2, Rocha 2-0-1, Ramirez 3-0-0, Gilfillan 2-0-0, Mendoza 1-0, Gerlach 1-0-0, Moore 2-1-1, Holden 1-1-1, Catson 1-0-0. Totals 21-6-7.

Danville — Murphy 3 IP, 5 R, 5 ER, 5 H, 8 K, 3 BB; Tennant 2 IP 1 R, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 K, 0 BB.

San Ramon — Rocha 4 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 H, 7 K, 4 BB; Mendoza 2 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 H, 4 K, 0 BB.

Hitting

2B —Ackerman 2, (San Ramon). HR — Moroney (Danville).