Senior All-Star Team Rallies to Victory

The Manhattan Beach Senior All-Stars rallied from an 8-3 deficit to defeat San Pedro’s Eastview All-Stars 11-8 to advance in the Section Four All-Star Tournament Sunday.

The team plays at 6 p.m. tonight at Marine Avenue Park in Manhattan Beach.

On Saturday, things were looking bleak for the boys from the Beach Cities as starting pitcher Turner Conrad was hit hard, allowing four runs in the first inning. Eastview stretched its lead to 6-0 in the second inning.

“Our pregame plan was to win every inning. Eastview won the first and third, but we hung in and there kept fighting,” said All-Stars manager Carlos Rojas.

In the bottom of the second, Conrad doubled to centerfield to drive in two runs to cut the six-run deficit to three at 6-3.

“We just wanted to be patient at the plate, chop at their lead and win innings,” said shortstop Trent Hammond.

Eastview would tack on two more runs off reliever Christian Reynolds in the third and had a chance to break the game wide open.

With two runners on base, Armando Hernandez hit a drive to left field. Greg Whitaker made an extraordinary diving catch to end the inning and prevent Eastview’s lead from moving beyond 8-3.

“Whitaker’s catch was huge," said Rojas. "He saved us two runs and that really changed everyone’s attitude going forward.” 

The Senior All-Stars would rally big in the fourth, scoring six runs in the inning, thanks to a pair of two-run doubles from Hammond and David Odle.

“It was a 2-1 count. I said to myself, ‘I’m hitting my pitch’ and he threw it down the middle and I jumped on it,” Hammond said.

The offense would continue with RBIs from Conrad and Jack Webber to give the All-Stars their first lead at 9-8.

That was all the scoring Reynolds would need as the crafty reliever frustrated Eastview with a mix of off-speed pitches. 

“I knew our offense was going to step it up. I just wanted to use my defense and keep them from scoring more,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds provided five innings of relief, allowing just two runs.

“Reynolds in relief was outstanding," said Rojas. "He threw strikes and our defense tightened up. I’m really proud of our guys hanging in there."

Hammond would pick up his second double of the game in the sixth as a blast to centerfield brought home Garrett Wells, followed by a sacrifice fly from Webber that scored and gave Cooper Griffith some insurance on the team’s way to a 11-8 victory.

“This win will help us later if we’re down," said Reynolds. "We know we can come back."

The All-Stars' win gives the team two days off to prepare for a chance to win the tournament outright Tuesday and move to subdivision tournament play next week.