Erik Boal
MONTROSE -- Is anyone going to get Michael Pech out?
That was the task facing the Vaquero Little League's Automotive
Service Counsel, which did everything in its power Saturday to try and
quiet the hot bat of the 12-year-old shortstop/pitcher for the Foothill
League Jets, but to no avail.
Pech continued to be a menace to opposing pitchers, reaching base
safely for the eighth straight time in his team's 8-3 victory in the
winner's-bracket quarterfinals of the District 16 Major Baseball
Tri-Cities Tournament at Montrose Park.
The Jets (23-3-1) advanced to Tuesday's winner's-bracket semifinals in
the 9- through 12-year-old division against High Temp -- a 7-3 winner
against the Cardinals -- at 7:30 p.m. at Babe Herman Field.
ASC (19-5) fell into the second-chance bracket and will attempt to
stave off elimination when it plays the Frogs at 5:30 p.m. today at
Tujunga Little League Field.
Pech, who went four for four with a double and four runs scored in
Wednesday's 17-1 opening-round victory against Star Ford, added three
more hits -- including two doubles -- and a walk in his four plate
appearances, in addition to scoring two more runs.
In each of Pech's first two at-bats Saturday, ASC pitcher Jonathan
Solis (9-3) had 0-2 counts, only to watch the Jets' No. 3 hitter line a
one-hop double to the fence in right-center field the first time and
ground a hard single to left the next.
So concerned with Pech's potential for power in his third at-bat, ASC
had all three of its outfielders play up against the fence to try and
limit him to a single, but Pech still belted a double to center.
"We wanted to put our best out on the field today and Michael is
definitely one of our best," Jets Coach Ray Sabo said.
"We know the competition will increase as the tournament goes on and
we're striving to play near perfect defense and get quality at-bats every
inning.
"We had a couple of defensive miscues and we left the bases loaded a
couple of times, but I'm very happy that we're staying up in the winner's
bracket."
Sabo was also happy with the performance of his son, 12-year-old
Colin, who tossed a complete game, with just one walk and nine
strikeouts.
"He pitched a great game," said Ray Sabo of his son, who allowed only
one earned run and retired the side in order in the second and sixth
innings.
"His fastball was working well and when his offspeed is in the zone,
it can be very effective."
Steven Chico went two for three with a double, two runs scored and a
run batted in for the Jets, and Solis -- despite being tagged for nine
hits and five earned runs -- collected three hits at the plate, including
a double, and struck out eight on the mound.
BOX SCORE
ASC*0*0*1*2*0*0*--*3*8*5
Jets*0*3*4*1*0*x*--*8*9*4
ASC*IP*R*ER*H*BB*K
Solis*5*8*5*9*4*8
Jets*IP*R*ER*H*BB*K
Sabo*6*3*1*8*1*9
WP-Sabo (n/a).
LP-Solis (9-3).
2B: ASC-Solis; J-Pech 2, S. Chico.
