NBLL 10-year-old All-Stars claim championship
The Newport Beach Little League 10-year-old All-Stars captured the District 55 championship in dramatic fashion at Crown Valley field in Laguna Niguel on Saturday.
Dustin Miller delivered a clutch two-out, walk-off double to give the NBLL All-Stars a 7-6 win over Laguna Niguel.
Newport Beach trailed the entire game, and was down, 6-4, heading into its final at-bat. Conrad Olivier-Meir led off the inning with a single, followed up by a triple by Nate Chambliss.
Cameron Maloney then tied the game with a single. After a double play by Laguna Niguel, Ben Daniel hit a single to left field. Miller then came up with the double to win the game and the tournament.
The NBLL All-Stars went 4-0 in the tournament, winning two games in exciting walk-off fashion.
Newport Beach got off to a strong start defeating Northwood Little League, 16-1. Luca Curci and Pete Daniel both pitched well. Offensively, Jake Garcia led the way with two hits, including a long home run to center field. Miller also collected two hits and drove in three runs. Other contributors at the plate included Ben Daniel, Troy Jenkins, Chambliss, Olivier-Meier and TJ Rokos. Maloney made several solid plays from center field.
Newport Beach came back from a 5-1 deficit to defeat Irvine Ranch Little League, 7-6. Curci came through with a walk-off double in the bottom of the sixth inning for Newport Beach. Pete Daniel got the win, pitching three strong innings in relief. Ben Daniel made several strong plays at third base to help keep the game close leading up to the final inning. Jenkins, Rokos and Miller all had key hits in the final inning to help with the comeback win.
In the semifinal game, the Newport Beach All-Stars played their best game of the tournament, defeating Laguna Niguel Little League, 8-4. The team was led by strong pitching from Curci, Pete Daniel and Hogan Smith. Curci and Miller each made a spectacular diving catch. Garcia and Olivier-Meier each collected two hits.
The team, which is led by Manager Theo Rokos and coaches Neil Garcia and Jim Chambliss, moves on to the Section 10 tournament in Anaheim.
— Reader submission