CITY CHAMPIONSHIP: Valley’s Peterson’s Paint claims title with win over McNear’s

The Petaluma Valley’s Peterson’s Paint used strong pitching and solid defense to brush aside the National League’s McNear’s, 3-1, in a well-played finish to the 2015 Major Little League City Championship.

Lucas Schaefer directed Peterson’s championship win with an outstanding route-going pitching effort, defying pitch-count limitations and red-hot McNear’s bats. Going into the game, the National League team had scored 52 runs in the tournament, including 30 in previous elimination-bracket wins over Beyond the Glory, 25-16, and Stephen J Lafranchi and Associates, 5-2.

Using a blistering fast ball and wide-breaking curve, Schaefer stopped the run machine. He gave up six hits, but walked just one, while striking out 11, including three in the game and championship-clinching sixth inning.

He was backed by a strong defense, featuring excellent plays from third baseman Yoni Fleischman and shortstop Nick Taormina.

McNear’s received strong pitching of its own from starter David Cook and Aiden Seifert, but could not get the key hit when it was needed.

The Painters’ first two batters gave Schaefer all the runs he needed. Exemi Martinez led off the bottom of the first inning with a single up the middle and Nick Taormina followed with a copy cat hit. Martinez eventually scored on a wild pitch and Taormina scampered home on Schaefer’s sacrifice fly to right field.

It was all the run support the pitcher would need.

Insurance for Peterson’s came in the fourth inning when Mario Taormina blooped a double into right field and came home when Beaube hit to right, and an overthrow at first base in an abortive try to get the batter from right field allowed Taormina to score.

For the game, Peterson’s had just six hits, but three came in the decisive first inning.

McNear’s bunched hits from Enzo Scaccalosi and Wyatt Davis, but failed to score as Schaefer retired two batters with two on.

The only break for McNear’s came in the third inning when Scaccalosi shot a single to left field and kept motoring as the ball went through the outfielder. He ended at third, and scored on Wyatt Davis’ ground out to shortstop.

A walk and Cook’s hit put two runners on in the fifth, but both came with two outs and Schaefer took care of that problem with a whiff. In fact, all six of McNear’s final outs were by strikeout.

Mario Taormina led Peterson’s at the plate with a single and a double, while Scaccalosi had a two hits for McNear’s.

On its way to the championship game, Peterson’s defeated two other Valley League teams, eliminating the Petaluma Police, 7-1, and Roland Insurance, 12-3.