A Win Away From Williamsport!

Mike Sciacca, Independent

The setting was spectacular, and one that every Little Leaguer

dreams of: a big game, played out before a big crowd and television

cameras, emotions and excitement, both at fever pitch.

What began 10 days ago as a 14-team event, the 2000 Little League

Baseball Western Regional in San Bernardino has been whittled down to

just two teams. And, one of the teams left standing, hails from

Huntington Beach.

Ocean View Little League’s Majors Division All-Star team took a giant

step toward its dream of reaching Williamsport, Pa. Tuesday by beating

Canyon Del Oro of Arizona, 3-0, before an estimated 5,000 at Al Haughton

Stadium.

The victory, their 17th in 18 postseason games, sends Ocean View into

tonight’s championship final against Hazel Dell Little League of

Vancouver, Wash., which eliminated Montana, 6-0, Tuesday to qualify for

the showdown.

The survivor of tonight’s 8 o’clock winner-take-all showdown advances

to Little League’s ultimate event, the World Series, held Aug. 20-26, in

Williamsport, Pa.

“It’s the best feeling to be playing for a chance to go to

Williamsport,” winning pitcher Dallas Walters said. “It’s just an

unbelievable feeling.”

Walters pitched a terrific game Tuesday, and had a terrific defense,

backing him up.

In getting his second tournament victory, Walters allowed just three

hits, walked a batter, hit a batter, and struck out five in four innings

pitched.

“I thought Dallas gave a wonderful performance,” Ocean View Manager

Hank Conger said. “He battled all the way.”

Walters also backed his pitching at the plate, his line drive RBI

single to right field scoring Jeff Van Doornum for a 3-0 lead in the top

of the fifth inning.

Conger replaced Walters with Chris Palmer at the start of the bottom

of the fifth, but the big right-hander loaded the bases with nobody out.

“I always feel confident with Chris on the mound, and it was no

exception tonight,” Conger said. “He has gotten us through the entire

season. I felt a little better, however, when we got that first out.”

Palmer buckled down to get Ryan Lush to hit back to the mound for a

force at home for the first out, then proceeded to strike out Canyon Del

Oro cleanup hitter Lance Sinclair, before doing the same to Jake Lackow,

Canyon Del Oro’s top player.

Palmer’s success, however, is due in part to the heads up play of

Ocean View catcher James Kang, who made two key stops on low pitches,

both of which prevented Canyon Del Oro from scoring with loaded bases in

the fifth inning.

“What a tremendous performance by James,” Conger said of Kang. “This

is his first year playing catcher, and he saved at least two runs for

us.”

Hank Conger came in to finish off Canyon Del Oro, and did so by

striking out the side to reserve a spot for Ocean View in tonight’s

final.

Like it has throughout the tournament, Ocean View, which outscored its

first four tournament opponents, 33-4, struck in its first at-bat,

scoring when Van Doornum, who drew a leadoff walk, then came home on a

wild pitch by Lackow. They got another run in the third inning, thanks to

the blistering bat of one Hank Conger.

With two out and faced with an 0-2 count, Conger took a curve ball

offered by Lackow, and drilled it over the center field fence. What was

spectacular about the hit was that just as Conger readied for the pitch,

there fell a hushed silence - as if on cue, among the crowd. It erupted

in collective amazement as Conger bounced the ball off the top of an

awning well beyond center field.

It was the 33rd home run of the season for Conger, who also hit a

grand slam during Saturday’s 14-3 win over Canyon Del Oro.

“Any time he hits one out, it’s always a treat,” Yun Conger said of

his son. “It’s certainly a thrill for me.”

Yun Conger is also thrilled that his All-Star team has positioned

itself for Williamsport.

“It’s a very, very exciting time for us,” added Conger, who said he

will start either Trey Valbuena, or Hank Conger, on the mound tonight

against Hazel Dell. “We just need to stick to playing our type of

baseball, and when we do that, we’re a tough team to beat. I’m very proud

of these kids for what they’ve accomplished.”