Little League All Stars: Canyon Creek 9s Win Granada Tournament Title

To submit youth results from your league, contact Regional Sports Editor Kyle Bonagura at kyle.bonagura@patch.com

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As submitted by Canyon Creek representatives

Josh Giffins drove in two runs and pitched the final two innings to lead Canyon Creek Little League to a 3-2 victory over Granada for the 9-year-old championship of the 24th Annual Granada Invitational in Livermore on Friday.

Canyon Creek won three games in as many nights following last weekend's pool play to claim the crown. It beat Pleasanton American 5-3 in seven innings during the quarterfinals on Wednesday and outslugged Tassajara National 17-12 in the semis on Thursday before topping the hosts in a crisp 95-minute battle in the finale.

Relying on pitching and defense was a common theme for Canyon Creek in the tourney, and it was no different in the title game. Cameron McKeon, Will Brega and Giffins combined to three-hit Granada while striking out six.

Canyon Creek scored in the bottom of the first when Giffins' fielder's-choice grounder followed one-out singles by Nick Waterson and Cameron McKeon.

The lead held up until Granada's Samuel Miller singled and eventually scored on a misplay in the fourth. Canyon Creek answered in the bottom half of the frame when McKeon beat out an infield grounder, advanced to third on two passed balls and scored on Giffins' single up the middle of the diamond.

Canyon Creek padded the lead to two runs in the fifth. Jacob Ennis and Kyle Bouchet led off by getting hit by pitches. One out later, Devin Dhaliwal pushed a run across with a fielder's choice grounder.

Granada mounted a last-inning rally with one out when A-J Phillips and Miller each singled. Phillips scored on an infielder grounder but Miller was stranded at third when Giffins fielded a comebacker and threw to first to send his teammates and the Canyon Creek followers into celebration.

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CANYON CREEK 3, GRANADA 2

Granada                000 101 -- 2  3  0

Canyon Creek       100 11x -- 3  5  3

Granada (ab-r-h) Miller 3-1-1, McCormick 2-0-0, Tia 2-0-0, Martinez 2-0-0, Wright 2-0-0, Van Trease 2-0-0, Reddick 2-0-0, Vargas 2-0-0, MacDonald 2-0-1, MacIntire 2-0-0, Heffron 2-0-0, Phillips 2-1-1; Totals 25-2-3.

Canyon Creek (ab-r-h) Ruble 2-0-0, Waterson 2-1-1, McKeon 2-1-2, Giffins 2-0-1, Leontini 2-0-0, Brega 2-0-0, Ennis 1-1-1, Bouchet 1-0-0, Leffel 2-0-0, Dhaliwal 2-0-0, Nevarez 2-0-0; Totals 20-3-5.

Pitching

Granada: Miller 2 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 K 0 BB; Vargas 2 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 H, 0 K, 0 BB; Van Trease 1 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 H, 0 K, 0 BB.

Canyon Creek: McKeon 2 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 K, 2 BB; Brega 2 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 K, 0 BB; Giffins 2 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 K, 0 BB.

Batting

RBI -- 2 Giffins (CC), 1 Dhaliwal (CC), McCormick (G).