A seven-run opening frame powered the Dos Pueblos LL Junior All-Stars to an 11-0 victory over Post Falls LL of Idaho on Friday in the Western Regional Junior LL Tournament in Bend, Oregon.
DPLL, representing Southern California, has won their first two games while outscoring opponents 28-3.
They will remain in the winners’ bracket to take on Hawaii’s Honolulu LL on Sunday at 9 a.m.
On Friday, DPLL jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the top of the first and they never looked back. In that inning, Jonah Pepper, Seth Orozco and Isaac Gutierrez all drove in a pair of runs to lead the charge.
That score held until the fourth when DPLL tacked on two more runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to secure the mercy-rule victory.
Pepper started the game on the bound, tossing two no-hit innings while striking out two. Charlie Douglas then came in for two innings of shutout relief before Adan Macias closed it out in the fifth.
While the pitchers allowed just two hits all game, the DPLL defense was rock solid behind them with error-free baseball.
Offensively, Guttierez went 2-for-2 and drove in three runs while scoring a run himself. Meanwhile, Pepper went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and a pair of runs scored.
DPLL’s Junior All-Stars are Matt Brennan, Holden Brey, Max Cruse, Charlie Douglas, Gabe Estrella, Grady Felix, Ollie Gesswein, Isaac Guttierez, Adan Macias, Seth Orozco, Kian Palmer and Jonah Pepper.
The team is managed by Jacob Pepper with coaches Dan Brennan, Jeff Palmer and Dave Robertson.