Eastdale moves on to regionals
Pitching, hitting dominant in 13-0 win for state majors title
With a deep pitching rotation, hitting aplenty and strong defensive play, Eastdale Little League manager Ed Gaeto is suffering from an embarrassment of riches.
“My biggest trouble with 12 guys is who starts and who subs off the bench,” Gaeto said. “It’s a great problem to have. We don’t lose anything when we substitute because we have 12 starters, to be honest.”
The District 8 champions captured their second New Mexico Little League Majors title in three years blanking Shorthorn (Carlsbad), 13-0, in a 4-inning mercyrule clash at Petroglyph Little League Field on Sunday.
Eastdale leadoff hitter Ty Mancha doubled three times and scored three runs, Aidan Young and winning pitcher Eric Santillanes hit back-toback home runs in the second inning to help build an 8-0 lead, and Alex Gaeto smashed a three-run, opposite-field homer in the third, extending the margin to 11-0.
Eastdale collected 17 hits in just three innings of work against Shorthorn, raising its postseason team batting average to a robust .526. And the three dingers bolstered its postseason total to 23.
“We all play a part whether it’s base stealing or playing defense,” Young said. “It comes down to 12 people that have their own skills. Each one of us can do what we can do. So it’s a just a great opportunity and a great gift to have this talent to go out there and play.”
Santillanes struggled with his control in the first inning walking two of the first three batters he faced. Those would be Shorthorn’s lone baserunners as Santillanes and reliever Ryan Pullen combined on a no-hitter, striking out seven Shorthorn batters.
“This is a well-rounded team,” Ed Gaeto said. “We had some issues early on in district, but we corrected them, and now we’re doing all facets of the game really well.”
Shorthorn advanced to the finals winning a slugfest over Albuquerque Roadrunner 27-24 on Saturday, but in the process used up the pitching eligibility of six players.
“We had to get over a lot just to get here, and we had a tall task today,” said Shorthorn manager Tim Estrada. “(Eastdale) is the total package, and they showed us what we aspire to be.”
Eastdale travels to Waco, Texas for the first round of the Southwest regional where it plays Mississippi’s state champion Aug. 4 at 4 p.m.
Two years ago, Eastdale advanced to the Southwest region semifinals before losing a heartbreaker to Louisiana in extra innings. If Eastdale is able to advance out of the Southwest region, it would be the first New Mexico team to accomplish that feat since the region was created 30-plus years ago.
“It’s a tough challenge, but it is winnable,” Ed Gaeto said. “There are some good teams, but if we play our absolute best, we can play with anybody. We were one win away from Williamsport the last time, so that tells me it is doable.”
Minors
Shorthorn (Carlsbad) did its best 1986 New York Mets imitation putting together a two-out, three-run rally in the bottom of the 10th to win 19-18 and hand Noon Optimist (Roswell) its first loss of the state playoffs.
Noon Optimist’s Ryan Almus drove in his seventh run of the game with a single to short left field giving his club an 18-16 lead.
Shorthorn, which came out of the losers’ bracket, found itself with no runners on in the 10th after Noon Optimist picked up two quick outs with a timely double play.
Noon Optimist’s normally steady defense committed four straight errors allowing Shorthorn to score one run. With the bases loaded, Jeremiah Dominguez poked a soft line drive to right field scoring the tying and winning runs.
Noon Optimist and Shorthorn square off today at 5:30 p.m. at Petroglyph Little League Field for the Minors state title.