Loma Linda Finally Gets Big Hit

That one big hit.

It was the thing that had eluded Loma Little League's 11- and 12-year-old all-stars through 10 innings of play during the District 21 tournament.

In the fifth inning Thursday night, they finally got it. In fact, they got two.

Diego Soto's bases loaded single, coupled with an outfield error, cleared the bases to give his team the lead, and two batters later, Sonny Hinojosa singled home two more as Loma Linda knocked off Grand Terrace 12-9 in an elimination game at Max Lofy Field in Colton.

After leaving 11 runners on base in Tuesday's loss, Loma Linda had left another seven through four innings Thursday.

"That's the difference of today's game, we came through in the clutch today," said Loma Linda Manager Ulysses Rodriguez.

But while Rodriguez was happy with the victory, he knows his team still has work to do if it plans on advancing farther in the tournament. An error-filled fourth inning gave Grand Terrace five runs, all getting on base and scoring after two were out.

"We still need to work on our fundamentals," he said. "Throwing the ball in. And we still can't play catch. Once we get that fixed, then watch out, we might end up winning this whole thing. We can hit with the best of them in this league. So I'm not worried about my bats, I'm more worried about my gloves."

Those bats pounded out 13 hits Thursday afternoon, compared to seven for Grand Terrace. And Loma Linda was able to scratch out runs in each inning, holding a 4-3 lead through three innings. And then came the five-run fourth for Grand Terrace.

But Rodriguez remained confident his team would be able to bounce back.

"I knew they could do it, it's a matter of them knowing," he said. "We've got a good, strong team. Sometimes these guys don't think they can do it, therefore they don't do it."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the diamond, Grand Terrace coach Blair Richardson saw his team let down a little after taking an 8-4 lead.

"(Loma Linda's) hitters came up big," he said. "I think (his team) got a little overconfident and then they got a little lax in the field and allowed some errors they shouldn't have."

Richardson got a big game from starting pitcher Maverick Kecskes, who struck out five in four innings (throwing 86 pitches), leaving with the lead. He also went 2-for-3 at the plate, scoring three times and driving home two runs from the lead off spot.

For Loma Linda, Soto was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBI. Adam Hale was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Zack Evangelista was 3-for-4, including a double, two runs scored and an RBI.

Starting pitcher Peter-Michael Brooks struck out four in two-plus innings of work, and was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI.

Loma Linda advances to a second elimination game today at 5:30 p.m. The game was originally scheduled for 8 p.m., but was shifted as a courtesy to Loma Linda, due to its many Adventist players.