Hurler Mike Howard delivers a pitch for the San Juan-Aromas Angels during the team's opening game against San Lorenzo Valley on June 18 in San Juan Bautista.
Angels manager David Fajnor can't remember the last time a team from San Juan-Aromas made it this far in the District 39 Tournament of Champions.
"We were right there," Fajnor said.
Playing in the quarterfinals of the elimination bracket Thursday against San Lorenzo Valley, a team it had defeated 12-9 earlier in the tournament, San Juan-Aromas put both the tying and winning runs in scoring position with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
"We told the runner on third to go on contact," Fajnor recalled.
The ensuing play was hit back to the pitcher, but instead of throwing to first, the SLV pitcher threw home and beat a sliding Angel at the plate instead.
SLV won the game, 10-9.
"It was a heartbreaking loss," Fajnor said.
"But that's baseball. It's been a while since we've gone to the quarterfinals."
San Lorenzo Valley, which went on to beat Gilroy National in the consolation semifinals and undefeated Scotts Valley in Game 1 of the championship final, finally fell to Scotts Valley in the winner-take-all second game.
San Juan-Aromas, meanwhile, finished the minor division tournament with a 2-2 record after it defeated San Lorenzo Valley 12-9 on June 18 - the Angels actually trailed 9-0 at one point in the game.
But up against Scotts Valley in the second round - a Little League that is nearly four times larger than San Juan-Aromas - the Angels fell 12-3, moving it into the elimination bracket where it easily defeated Live Oak 14-8 last Tuesday.
"We hit the ball well," Fajnor said. "We pitched the ball well."
But despite strong pitching from Jacob Fajnor and Evan Weatherly, the Angels couldn't dispatch San Lorenzo Valley for a second time last Thursday night in San Juan Bautista.
"But to reach the quarterfinals," Fajnor said, "was an achievement."
The Angels complete its season with an 18-4-1 record.
San Juan-Aromas Little League All-Stars
District 39 All-Star Tournament
San Juan-Aromas 11-12
R.J. Clark, Jack Fisher, Nat Hsia-Coron, Andrew Huaracha, Samuel Jimenez, Brian Morioka, Izaiah Ornelas, Izaac Ornelas, Jazz Pouls, Gary Sammons and Alex Samuels. Manager Dave Huaracha.
Next: San Juan-Aromas will play Scotts Valley/Santa Cruz National Thursday at Pajaro Valley at 7:30 p.m.
San Juan-Aromas 10-11
Brandon Alvarez, Jarret De Amaral, C.J. Dizon, Esteban Fabela, Adam Metzger, Alex Ruiz, Baxter Black, Cody Fisher, Zack Alnas, Dave Conrath, Michael Howard Jr., Alex Lovell and Trevor Williams. Manager David Fajnor.
Next: San Juan-Aromas will play Santa Cruz National Wednesday at Scotts Valley at 5:30 p.m.
San-Juan Aromas 7-8
The San Juan-Aromas 7- and 8-year-old All-Stars were eliminated from its invitational tournament last week. After suffering a 15-9 loss to San Lorenzo Valley, San Juan-Aromas rebounded with an 8-7 victory against Gilroy National. But in its third game, San Juan-Aromas narrowly fell to Santa Cruz, 9-8.
Andrew Matheson Andrew Matheson is a sports writer for South Valley Newspapers. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 334 or at amatheson@svnewspapers.com.
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