Encinitas National Keeps Hopes Alive with 9-8 Win

After losing all of a 5-0 first-inning lead Monday night, the Encinitas National Little League All-Stars scored a run in the bottom of the fifth on a bases-loaded hit batter and made it stand up for a 9-8 win over Scripps Ranch American in the Section 6 tournament at 4S Ranch.

The victory earns ENLL a rematch with La Mesa National at 6 p.m. Tuesday, also at 4S Ranch. La Mesa won 8-5 on Sunday and remains unbeaten, meaning Encinitas would need to win Tuesday and again Wednesday to advance to the Southern California regionals.

"This was our best team effort of all the games we've played thus far," said ENLL coach John Roberts. He worked four pitchers into the win after using his top three hurlers over the weekend.

Jake Cashman earned the win by closing out the game. He also had a two-run homer in the five-run ENLL first inning, as did Dylan Hadley.

After building a 6-0 lead entering the third inning, Encinitas gave up three runs in the third and four in the fourth to fall behind 7-6. The team scored twice in the bottom of the fourth to go up 8-7, but Scripps tied it 8-8 in the top of the fifth before Nick Scheidler was plunked with a pitch with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth for the go-ahead score.

The game ended on a deep fly to center that would have regained the lead for Scripps if it had carried another 15 feet or so.