Youth Baseball: CMNLL 10-11s blanked

FOUNTAIN VALLEY — Things started out promisingly enough Tuesday night for the Costa Mesa National Little League 10- and 11-year-old All-Star team.

The first pitch from Huntington Valley’s Will Bennett was inside. It brushed against the jersey of Demetri Susidko, who took first base.

Nobody else could get there for Costa Mesa National the rest of the night at Mile Square Park. Bennett made sure of that in the District 62 All-Stars opener for both teams.

He retired the next 12 batters in order, recording his first career no-hitter as Huntington Valley blanked Costa Mesa National, 10-0, in a four-inning game shortened due to the mercy rule.

“I felt good,” said Bennett, who struck out eight, including the side in the first and third innings, and walked none. “My curveball was working and my defense was very good.”

Bennett pitched Huntington Valley into the 10-11 semifinals on Saturday. Costa Mesa National plays again Thursday at 5 p.m. in an elimination game, and would have to earn three straight wins to get into the championship game of the double-elimination tournament.

Costa Mesa National’s two best chances for a hit Tuesday came from Adler Avakian and Adair Bisoso. Avakian grounded out to shortstop leading off the bottom of the second; out at first by half a step. Bisoso, pinch-hitting in the fourth, lined out to second.

Otherwise, Bennett was mostly in control, not allowing Costa Mesa National to hit a ball out of the infield. He needed just 43 pitches to complete the four-inning no-hitter.

Huntington Valley Manager Bob Galle said the plan going in was to have Bennett pitch just two innings. That plan changed with the way he mowed down the Costa Mesa National lineup.

“That’s definitely the best pitcher that we’ve faced all year,” Costa Mesa National Manager Mike Townsend said. “It’s not that he was overly fast, but he knew when to throw a changeup or a curve. He had everybody off-balance. They were all looking for the fastball, and here comes a curve or a changeup. He pitched a really nice game.”

Huntington Valley took a 6-0 lead after two innings, but left runners at second and third in the third inning after a nice catch in left field by Costa Mesa’s Xavier Alvarez. But Huntington Valley, the designated visitor, scored four more runs in the top of the fourth.

The last three came with two outs. Huntington Valley’s Brady Palmerin scored two with a double to right, then Owen Glascoe followed with a two-run triple to center to provide Huntington Valley with its 10th run.

Glascoe led Huntington Valley with two extra-base hits, also including a double, while Aidan Espinoza, JK Kamalski and Palmerin also had two hits apiece.

Sam Stute, Kaiden Kahkosko and Bisoso handled the pitching duties for Costa Mesa National, which gave up two unearned runs in the second on a pair of throwing errors.

But John Uchytil also had a couple of nice catches in center field, and Avakian caught a low line drive hit to shortstop in the first inning. He alertly threw to third baseman Tyler Humphries, doubling off the runner and ending the inning.

“Defensively, we played pretty decent,” said Townsend, whose team also got contributions from Jared Townsend, Luke Costlow, Miles Moyer and Reef Johnson.

Mike Townsend knew the tournament could be tough for his players, all of whom played in the Minor A division during the regular season. Since Huntington Valley has several Majors division teams from which to draw players, all of Galle’s 10-11 All-Stars players were in Majors during the regular season.

“We’re essentially playing Majors teams,” Townsend said. “Not an excuse; we’ve got to step up and make it happen. We know that going in.”