The Goleta Valley South LL 10U All-Stars captured the District 63 championship with a 5-2 win over crosstown rival Dos Pueblos LL on Tuesday at Girsh Park.
The championship game was a battle throughout, and GVSLL found itself trailing 2-1 heading into the sixth inning.
GVSLL then came through with the biggest two-out rally of the tournament, with Austin Rhodes and Mason Herrera sparking it with back-to-back singles.
Kai Small then came through with a run-scoring double, while Mateo Lynn and Luke Munoz each drove in runs to take a 5-2 lead.
DPLL did not go away quietly in the bottom of the sixth, but the GVSLL defense came through when it mattered the most. Cade Ludwick made a diving catch at third base to help preserve the lead, and Lynn finished off the victory on the mound.
Rhodes started the contest for GVSLL, allowing just one earned run and striking out three in 3 ⅔ innings. Dawson Poll also pitched in relief, while Lynn closed out the game.
Offensively, Mason Ceriale went 3-for-3 to lead the way and Rhodes chipped in two hits of his own.
Tuesday’s win was the culmination of a District 63 tournament in which GVSLL went 4-0 and outscored opponents by a margin of 56-11.
“The All-Stars showcased a complete team effort throughout the week, combining explosive offense with outstanding pitching and elite defense,” GVSLL manager Jeff Bischoff said.
“This group earned every bit of this championship. They competed with confidence, played for each other, and never stopped believing. We executed the little things and everyone contributed. We played our brand of baseball, and we couldn’t be more proud of our players.”
GVSLL will now compete in the Section 1 Tournament hosted by Conejo Valley LL from July 11th to July 15th.
“This is a good first step, but we all understand we have work to do,” Bischoff said. “We look forward to representing GVSLL as we compete for the Section 1 championship in July.”
The GVSLL 10U All-Stars are Jack Bischoff, Mason Ceriale, Mason Herrera, Barrett Jennings, Mateo Lynn, Cade Ludwick, Luke Munoz, Dawson Poll, Kaden Reardon, Austin Rhodes, Kai Small and Aiden Sturgeon-Perez.
The team is managed by Jeff Bischoff with assistant coaches Adam Herrera, Brent Jennings and Aaron Lynn.