Photo Tribute to MB Senior Little League All Stars

Aug 06, 2014 02:13PM ● By Mb News Staff

The 2014 Manhattan Beach Junior League All Stars went undefeated in post-season play until the Hawaiian team above staged a tremendous come-back win in the final inning of the West Region championship game.

The 2014 Manhattan Beach Senior Baseball All Stars nearly earned a trip to the World Series in Bangor, Maine Tuesday night, however, a tough Hawaii team battled back in the final two innings to overtake the MB boys 12-4 in the West Region championship game in Ontario.

The team went 12-0 until the loss to Hawaii and became the third MB Senior team in four years to be the West Region championship runner-up.

Here are some fun statistics, courtesy of Greg Schwartz, prior to the game Tuesday night.

12 wins - 0 losses
128 runs scored while only 21 runs allowed

Top Pitchers:

Rollie Nichols - 19 innings pitched - 4 wins - 1.1 ERA - 21 strike outs
Matt Baserra - 9 innings pitched - 2 wins - 0.0 ERA - 18 strike outs (usually the closer)
Nathan Draves - 18 innings pitched - 3 wins - 0.0 ERA - 15 strike outs
Team ERA .718, allowed only 8 earned runs with 87 strike outs in 78 innings

Top Hitters

Ben Laduke - highest batting average at .706 and .773 on base percentage
Jason Schwartz - leads team with 17 hits, most singles with 14, 2nd most doubles with 3, 3rd in RBIs with 11, 2nd in batting with a .567 average, 3rd in runs scored with 13 and 2nd highest on base percentage at .675
David Arredondo leads team with 15 RBIs
Reese Alexaides - leads team with most runs scored at 15 and has the only home run (hitting it over 425 feet) and leads team with 3 triples
Team is batting .370 with a .502 on base %, 134 hits in 12 games

Defense

Ty Conrad been a dominant catcher - thrown out 7 of the 13 runners stealing while picking off 3 runners on base
Dom Devico had 12 stellar digs at 1st base for outs
Team has turned 9 double plays, fielding percentage of 934, has 32 out of the 78 innings that went 1-2-3 out innings

Sunday Game Vs NorCal (battling for top seed as both teams undefeated)

MB started late but finished with 5 runs on 9 hits in a come-from-behind win 5-2, capturing the top seed in bracket B
Led by hitting from Reese Alexaides (2 hits, 2 RBIs, scored 1 run), Ben Laduke (2 hits, 1 RBI, scored a run) and a clutch game-tying, go-ahead double by Jason Schwartz (1 for 2, walk, 2 RBIs)
Top of the 4th down 2-0, Laduke singled to center field scoring Ty Conrad who singled on a bunt pulling them to 2-1. Jason Schwartz singled to right field on a 2-2 count with 2 outs scoring both Laduke and Carson Phillips to take the lead for good 3-2.
Reese Alexaides capped off the scoring with a 2-run home run blast over 425 feet
It was a team pitching effort, using 5 pitchers only giving up 4 hits

Monday Game vs. Upland (semifinal single -elimination game)

Were down 4-0 going into the bottom of the 4th when David Arredondo doubled (1 of his 2 hits) to the center field wall followed by a line drive single to left field by Ty Conrad. Finally on the board.
Jake Symon pitched a great 4-5-6 innings, facing 15 batters
Then Ben Laduke walked, Jason Schwartz lined a double to left scoring pinch runner Joey Hanson, speedster Schwartz went on to score from 2nd base on Reese Alexaides single to left ,bringing them within one at 4-3 and helping to change the momentum
Things looked up until the top of the 7th when Upland scored twice on a line drive to right making it 6-3
With Upland only needing 3 outs to end the game, MB rallied. Ben Laduke and Dom Devico both singled and Jason Schwartz walked to load the bases. Reese Alexiades (2nd hit of game) and Matt Bessera both singled to left making the game 6-5. David Arredondo then singled in the tyng run to push the game to extra innings.
Game remained tied until the bottom of the 9th when Rollie Nichols walked, stole second and with 2 outs, David Arredondo hit a towering walk off pop fly, quick thinking Rollie Nichols took off from second and crossed home as the ball dropped between the 3rd baseman, catcher and pitcher just in fair territory, just in front of home plate, winning the game.
Matt Bessera got the win pitching 2.1 shut-out innings, striking out 3 of the 12 batters he faced while giving up no walks and no hits.
MB finished with 7 runs on 9 hits.

Manhattan Beach Senior All Star Team		2014

Socal North Section 4		MB	Opponent	MB
Tuesday, July 8, 14	Lennox	8	1	Win
Thursday, July 10, 14	Lennox	16	4	Win
Santa Monica in bracket but we did not play them

Socal North Sub Division 3		MB	Opponent	MB
Wednesday, July 16, 14	La Mirada	2	1	Win
Thursday, July 17, 14	Sunset	7	4	Win
Saturday, July 19, 14	LA	10	0	Win
Pacific Coast & Tehachapi in bracket but we did not play them

Socal Division 3		MB	Opponent	Mb
Friday, July 25, 14	Spring Valley	12	2	Win
Saturday, July 26, 14	Spring Valley	15	0	Win

Western Regional		MB	Opponent	MB
Tuesday, July 29, 14	Montana	23	0	Win
Thursday, July 31, 14	Oregon	11	1	Win
Friday, August 1, 14	Nevada	12	0	Win
Sunday, August 3, 14	Norcal	5	2	Win
Monday, August 4, 14	Upland	7	6	Win
Tuesday, August 5, 14	Hawaii/Norcal
Arizona & Washington opposite bracket did not play

	Total Runs	128	21	11-0