Little League All-Star Teams Stay Alive

Needing a win to move on in the Little League Baseball District 25 Tournament, Culver City's 11 & 12-year-old team was hoping to get off to a good start in Tuesday's loser's bracket semifinal game against rival North Venice. 

Culver City did just that.

After starting pitcher Eli Saucedo shut down the visitors in the top of the first inning, Ryan Weiner was hit in the helmet and awarded first base leading off the bottom half and Michael Netzel followed with a two-run home run and Culver City went on to win 7-3 at Bill Botts Field.

"This was a good victory but a tough one," Culver City Manager Chip Netzel said. "North Venice is always tough. I've always enjoyed the Culver City-North Venice rivalry. It's good competitive baseball. I've loved it since I was in high school playing Little League. I'm just glad we got through this one and can move on." 

It was North Venice's second loss, knocking it out of the tournament. Culver City advances to the finals of the loser's bracket, where it will face the loser of Wednesday's winner's bracket final between Ladera and West Los Angeles at 5 p.m. Thursday. 

"We actually did pretty good," Culver City catcher Mason Mulvihill said. "Our hitting needs a little work, but I feel the strength of our team is our pitching and defense." 

Culver City added three runs in the second inning to take a 6-1 lead and Marcus Brown scored the final run on a controversial call at home in the fifth inning. 

"It was a hardfought game," North Venice Manager Stanley Atkins said. "We gave up a few runs early and tried to battle back but Culver City is a good team. The best team won today."

Pitching coach Chris Martinez said his players executed the game plan just like he drew it up and is confident the team can keep its playoff run going.

"The kids fought hard, there's a lot of pressure on them but I think they can do it," Martinez said. "Eli the lefty did a great job keeping us in the game, Nicky [Tuanchaen] came in and had a couple bumps here and there but kept us in it and Nolan [Martinez] came in at the end and shut them down."  

In the 9-10 Division, Culver City exploded for eight runs in the second inning and six more in the fourth to beat Culver Marina 15-2 via mercy rule in an elimination game in Ladera Heights.

Josh Leon doubled, Cameron Rogers had two singles, Myles Rothfarb doubled to score a run in the fourth inning and Austin Davis hit a three-run single to right field in the fourth for Culver City, which will play host Ladera at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. 

Corey Silverman allowed one run with four strikeouts in two innings, Bobby Cada struck out one batter in one inning and Austin Davis ended the game with back-to-back strikeouts.

In the 10-11 Division, Culver City plays Ladera in an elimination game Wednesday at 8 p.m. in Ladera Heights. The winner will face Santa Monica West at 6 p.m. Friday. 

In the Junior Division, Culver City beat City of Angels 18-13 last Friday and will meet North Venice in the semifinals of the winner's bracket Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Bil Botts Field.

Culver City is not among the five teams in the Senior Division, which begins Thursday at La Cienega Park in Beverly Hills.