MNLL 12’s explode to open tourney
Tyler Takeda/The Madera Tribune
Madera National’s Braedin Hatfield slides in safely ahead of the throw to score a run on a wild pitch Saturday against Sierra.
The Madera National Little League 11-12-year old All-Star team opened the District 10 All-Star tournament by scoring 33 runs in its first two victories.
After a 23-0 victory over Sierra Mountain-Tollhouse on Saturday and a 10-0 win over River Park-Fresno on Sunday, Madera National played Madera American on Monday for a berth in the championship game on Thursday. Madera National 23, Sierra 0
REEDLEY — The Madera National Little League All-Stars sent 22 batters to the plate during a 17-run second inning to record a 23-0 three-inning victory over Sierra Mountain.
Brandon Rodriguez hit a home run and drove in five runs. Shane Noe got the win with five strikeouts over two innings and hit two doubles and a home run to score three runs. Douglas Neal added a home run and Andrew Rodriguez hit a triple.
Madera National recorded 20 hits, seven for extra bases, in the victory while Noe and Aiden Owens held Sierra to just one.
The game started slowly for Madera National. Andrew Rodriguez opened the game with a triple to right-center. After a pair of strikeouts, he came in to score on a Mason Kemmer single.
Madera National exploded in the second inning. Noe led off with a double and Braedin hatfield was hit by a pitch. P.J. Garcia grounded out to drive in Noe.
After Garcia, the next 18 batters reached base. Peyton Reed and Xavier Cantu drove in runs with a single. Kemmer drove in another run with a ground-rule double. Brandon Rodriguez drove in two runs with a single to right-center.
Noe followd with a two-run home run to left-center. After a Hatfield was hit by a pitch again and Garcia reached on an error, Neal hit a three-run home run over the left-centerfield fence.
Six batters later, Rodriguez capped the inning’s scoring with a three-run opposite field home run to right field for an 18-run lead.
Madera National sent 11 batters to the plate and scored five more runs in the third. Sierra committed four errors in the inning and four of the runs were unearned. Madera National 10, River Park 0
In what was thought to be a battle between two of the top teams in the bracket, Madera National put those thoughts to rest by scoring 10 runs in the first three innings to invoke the mercy rule.
Kemmer earned the win on the mound, tossing a complete game one-hitter. He struck out six, but also walked five. He also hit a home run and drove in four.
Andrew Rodriguez led Madera National with three hits, including a double. Brandon Rodriguez and Carson Brunolli each hit triples in the 11-hit attack.
Andrew Rodriguez led off the bottom of the first with a single up the middle, but was forced at second by Reed. Xavier Cantu drew a four-pitch walk.
Four pitches later, Kemmer hit a line-drive home run over the right-centerfield fence for an early 3-0 lead.
Brandon Rodriguez followed with a triple to deep center, but went into third with a head-first slide, which is illegal in Little League and is an automatic out.
Madera National added a run in the second. Neal led off with a single up the middle and went to second on a wild pitch. Andrew Rodriguez singled up the middle to drive in Neal for a 4-0 lead.
In the third, Madera started a six-run rally with two outs and nobody on. Noe started the rally with a single up the middle. Ramon Ruiz singled to left and Brunolli tripled both runners home.
After Aiden Owens drew a walk, Rodriguez hit a one-hop double over the centerfield fence to drive in Brunolli.
Gino Civiello reached on an error and Rodriguez came in to score. Cantu doubled and Kemmer singled to left to drive in Civiello for a 10-0 lead.
After a one out walk, Kemmer closed the books on River Park with a pair of strikeouts.
