TEN SECTION TOURNAMENT: It takes two tries, but Petaluma American claims title

It took two tries, but the Petaluma American 10-year-old All Stars earned advancement to the Division 1 Northern California Championship Tournament.

To reach that tournament, the Americans defeated Mill Valley Little League, 12-2, in the Section 1 championship game played in Davis. The Petaluma victory came a day after Mill Valley had forced a second title game by beating the Petalumans, 8-2, handing them their only loss in tournament play.

Petaluma ended the Section championship game early, building up a 10-run lead through the first four innings.

Jack Hu pitched through some less-than-stellar defense in the first inning as he got the first two outs on strikeouts before an error and a single, followed by another error, allowed a run. He gave up a hit in the second, and after an out in the third, consecutive errors allowed another Mill Valley run to score.

Overall, he was brilliant, hitting all his spots, mixing speeds and keeping his composure as the defense faltered.

Fortunately for Petaluma American, the offense was better than the defense.

Hu led off the game with a walk. One out later, Jordan Giacomini also walked. With two outs, Wyatt Abramson lifted a fly ball that cleared the center field fence for a huge 2-out, 3-run homer. The blast gave Hu and the Americans all the lead they needed, but Petaluma wasn’t finished.

In the second inning, after sending eight batters to the plate in the first, the flood gates opened. Catcher Jack Larson led off and reached via an error on a hard-hit ball to second base. Hu singleld. JT Summers singled in Larson. Giacomini singled in Hu. Kalen Clemmens drove in Summers with a ground out. Abramson drove in Giacomini with a hard grounder to third base that was too hot to handle. Austin Steeves, with two outs, launched a double to right field, driving in Abramson. Tegan Camilleri singled, then Larson hit a fly ball that wasn’t handled by the right fielder, leading to two more runs. Hu, up for the second time in the inning, doubled, sending Larson to third base. Summers singled for the second time in the inning and recorded his second RBI by singling home Hu.

The Petaluma Americans didn’t score in either the third or fourth. They didn’t have to. They had enough runs to end the game by the 10-run mercy rule.

Hu had two hits, scored three runs and walked for the Americans. He also pitched three innings, allowing just two hits and two runs (both unearned), struck out three and didn’t walk a batter. Summers had two hits, scored a run and drove in two. He pitched one scoreless and hitless inning. Steeves went two-for-three with a double, a run scored and two rbis.

While Petaluma American moves on, Mill Valley players can find consolation in a 13-2 tournament run and a district championship. Both Mill Valley defeats came at the hands of the Petaluma Americans.

They were also the only team that thus far has been able to beat the Americans.

That happened in a game on Wednesday when Mill Valley held off the Petalumans, 8-2.

Abramson pitched well into the fifth inning for the Americans, but took a hard-luck loss as the defense struggled and the offense had a tough time against a very good Mill Valley pitcher, striking out 11 times.

A highlight for Petaluma was the first career home run by Giacomini who struck in the bottom of the fifth to score Steeves for the only Petaluma runs.

Hu had a double, Clemmens a single, Summers a single and Steeves an infield hit for Petaluma.

Petaluma started a rally in the bottom of the sixth inning and had runners at second and third when Summers hit a smash that caught the runner starting off second in the foot to end the game.