San Mateo American 10s fire a championship game no-no again

It’s the second no-hitter of the All-Stars season for American. The first was Matthew Ward’s complete-game, no-hit gem in the District 52 championship game.

“We are extremely blessed with four of the best 10-year-old pitchers I have ever seen,” San Mateo American manager Jason Gordon said. “They carried us the entire way.”

Workman struck out seven and allowed just three baserunners in the game: one walk, one hit batsman and one error committed behind him. The only reason the right-hander departed in the sixth was because he reached the maximum pitch count of 75. He finished off his evening with a sharp grounder to third baseman William Meza.

Workman said he felt like he had plenty left in the tank, something he proved on American’s energetic victory lap after being presented with the Section 3 banner.

“I always have energy for the victory lap,” Workman said.

And while Workman had to depart in the sixth, American always has more arms to turn to.

“I felt good,” Workman said. ”I knew [O’Brien] was going to get out those last two batters. He’s a very good pitcher and I knew he was going to be efficient to those last two batters.”

Workman had a flawless night at the plate as well, going 2 for 2 with a walk. He also scored the game’s first run. With the game deadlocked 0-0 in the third, Workman socked a leadoff double. American went on to load the bases for Hudson Wong, who promptly singled to center to drive home Workman. Maddox Stone then drove home Owen Bittle with a line drive to right.

American’s arms did the rest, though it was no walk in the park for Gordon.

“We knew Conor was throwing great and was reaching the end of his pitch count,” Gordon said. “So, I did not stop stressing until that last out went into Hudson’s glove to end the game.”

O’Brien entered and quickly notched a strikeout for the second out of the inning. Then he induced a lazy fly ball into right field for Wong in right field to set off the celebration in the middle of the infield.

“They went crazy obviously winning a section title,” Gordon said. “But like Matthew’s (no-hitter), we had to tell them afterwards it was as no-hitter, they were so locked in. … It was pretty cool getting to tell them and have them go crazy again.”

With the win, San Mateo American now advances to the Nor-Cal All-Star Tournament, the final stage of play in the 10-year-old All-Stars season. The tourney opens Saturday and will be held in Turlock.

San Mateo American 12s fall in championship opener

The Section 3 Little League All-Stars 12-year-old tournament will go down to the final day, as San Mateo American fell to Danville 11-3 Tuesday night at Five Canyons Park in Castro Valley.

American advanced to the championship round and had a loss to give. American and Danville will meet again Wednesday in a winner-take-all, championship finale at 6 p.m.

Danville left-hander Colton Fitzgibbons earned the win, working 4 2/3 innings. The big southpaw took a 7-0 lead into the bottom of the third, when American rallied for all three of its runs. American had a chance for more but, with runners on first and third and one out, ran into an out on a steal attempt of second base. The runner at third ended the frame stranded there. American would not score again in the contest.

“Lefties give everybody trouble and we got to him a little bit, but we couldn’t cash in,” San Mateo American manager Paul Witten said.

American starting pitcher Max Yeh gave a yeoman’s effort, working 5 1/3 innings to take the loss. While Yeh gave up runs in each of the first three innings, the workload was essential to American’s chances Wednesday, as it allowed Witten to conserve the team’s other cornerstone arms.

“We’re really light on pitching,” said Witten, who is navigating the sectionals without pitchers Evan Gilbert and DJ Ruiz, both unavailable to pitch due to injuries. “I told Max, regardless of the score, as long as he wasn’t injured, he needed to eat up 85 because we’re going to need every arm we have [Wednesday]. Max did a good job of battling.”

Witten said Landon King, Nick Loew and Jake Mrowka are all available to pitch Wednesday.