SGV All-Stars Face Crucial WS Game Against Iowa Sqaud

The San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth 18-under All-Star team began the Babe Ruth World Series on Saturday with high hopes of capturing its first World Series title since 2007.

But after two days in Ephrata, Wash., SGV is facing two critical games if it hopes to advance to the single elimination tournament that begins Thursday at Johnson O’Brien Stadium. San Gabriel Valley lost its first two games of the tournament, falling 3-2 to Syracuse, N.Y. on Saturday and losing 8-4 to Columbia Basin, Wash. on Sunday.

San Gabriel Valley will look to turn things around Monday at 5 p.m. when it takes on Ottumwa, Iowa. Ottumwa dropped its first game of the World Series, losing to Columbia Basin by a score of 4-3.

The two losses dropped SGV to last in the five-team American Division with two games left in pool play. The top three teams from each division advance to the single elimination championship tournament.

The San Gabriel Valley All-Stars were doomed in each contest by a disastrous fourth inning. Against Syracuse they gave up all three runs in the fourth when Daniel Zamora gave up two RBI singles and then balked in another run. SGV nearly rallied back to force extras in the top of the seventh inning. 

Brennan Salgado started the comeback attempt with a solo home run. Crescenta Valley’s Elliott Surrey followed with a double and then Troy Prosertisit singled to put the tying run on base. But Syracuse got the final three batters out to take the series opener, 3-2. 

On Sunday, SGV jumped out to a 2-0 lead over Ephrata thanks to RBI hits from Andrew Medina and Mark Saatzer. But Columbia Basin exploded for seven runs in the top of the fourth. Most of the damage to SGV was self-inflicted as the squad committed five errors in the inning leading to six unearned runs.

On Tuesday SGV takes on Mobile, Ala., in its final game of pool play. Mobile currently is 1-0 with a 10-0 win over Syracuse.