San Carlos LL All-Stars: Champions to the End

The San Carlos National Little League 11-12-year-old All-Star team went out like champs.

Down 8-2 entering the fifth inning, SC National rallied for five runs to close within 8-7 and then held Belmont-Redwood Shores scoreless in the bottom of the fifth.

San Carlos hit the ball hard three times in the top of the sixth, but Belmont fielders made the plays to help win the District 52 Tournament game Saturday at Highlands Park.

It was a spirited comeback, with Jackson Hohe driving in two of the runs with his second double of the game. Ryan Jeffries, Lucas Billot and John Wilson also drove in runs.

In the end, it just wasn't quite good enough, ending San Carlos' run in the tournament. The team unofficially finished seventh in the 18-team bracket.

Belmont-Redwood Shores plays again Sunday at 12:30 p.m., also at Highlands Park, against Redwood City National.

"It was good for their development playing in a setting like this," San Carlos manager Scott Jeffries said. "You get to play for your city, with 'San Carlos' written across your chest and you get to play in front of a home crowd. This was a big deal for them."

After scoring 11 runs in their first three games, San Carlos scored 17 runs over the past two days. It was, indeed, a great performance.

Hohe finished with two hits and drove in three runs. Jeffries drove in two runs. Matt Smith had two hits and scored two runs. J.T. Folan also scored twice. Will Stange made a nice play at second base.

Hillsborough beat Redwwod City National, 2-1, and Foster City topped San Mateo American, 5-2, in other games Saturday and are the two remaining unbeaten teams in the double-elimination tournament.

Those two teams play at Highlands Park on Sunday at 10 a.m.

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