Little League Western Regional : Northwood Wins and Moves Step Closer to Another World Series Berth

SAN BERNARDINO — The Northwood Little League team of Irvine moved a step closer to its second straight berth in the Little League World Series by defeating Kennewick, Wash., 6-0, in a first-round Western Regional game in front of about 6,200 Tuesday night at Al Houghton Stadium.

Northwood (13-2 in tournament play) was led by two returning players from last year’s team--second baseman Eric Sobek and pitcher Tommy Louie. Sobek had 3 hits and 2 runs batted in; Louie (6-0) made only 67 pitches as he allowed just 2 hits and 3 walks.

Louie’s only problem came in the third inning when he allowed a two-out infield single to Kris Kivela and walked Brian Miller and Danny Legard to load the bases. But Louie got out of the inning by getting Kennewick pitcher Zak Smith to hit into a force play.

“I was just trying to throw strikes and get them to hit the ball to our fielders,” Louie said. “In the third inning after the walks, my teammates came to me and told me to concentrate and relax, and that helped me a lot.”

Smith (6-1) struggled with his control throughout the game as he walked six batters and allowed eight hits. Smith threw 125 pitches in the six-inning game.

Northwood plays Carson City, Nev., in a 4:30 p.m. quarterfinal game Thursday. The semifinals will be held Friday and championship game Saturday.

Should Northwood advance to next week’s Little League World Series at Williamsport, Pa., it will be the first team to win back-to-back West Regional championships.

Northwood earned its West Regional berth by winning an unprecedented second straight Southern California championship by defeating Temecula Valley, 1-0, in last week’s final.

Carson City reached the quarterfinals earlier Tuesday by defeating Rock Springs, Wyo., 13-4.

Sobek gave Northwood a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning by grounding a bases-loaded single down the left-field line. Sobek’s hit was preceded by a one-out single by Jeff Zachan and consecutive two-out walks to Justin Lloyd and Jason Jones to load the bases.

Northwood got its third run in the third inning. After Ryan O’Toole, another returning player from last year, walked and stole second to lead off the inning, he went to third on Kirk Matthews’ infield hit. Two outs later, O’Toole scored on catcher Chris Dauenhauer’s passed ball.

Northwood put the game out of reach in the fourth with three runs--two of them coming home on Ryan Morgan’s single.