Quartz Hill LL softball falls short in title game

Contributed photo

The Quartz Hill Little League 10- to 12-year-olds celebrate winning the Southern California State Championship on July 12. The team lost the West Regional championship 2-1 to Northern California on Friday.

SAN BERNARDINO — The Quartz Hill Little League Major (10- to 12-year-olds) Softball team’s impressive run in the playoffs ended with a tight, 2-1 loss to Northern California (San Jose) in the West Regional championship game on Friday in San Bernardino.

The game was televised on ESPN.

The local squad, representing Southern California, was one win away from a trip to the Little League World Series in Greenville, N.C. Northern California will now represent the West at the World Series, despite the fact that both teams had just one loss.

Down 2-0, Quartz Hill rallied in the bottom of the sixth inning to score its first run of the game, but left runners on second and third to end the game.

Bailey Dell singled and scored on an error on BrookeLynn Sandberg-Zygo’s fielder’s choice to make it 2-1.

Sandberg-Zygo went to second on the play and was moved over to third base with one out. But the District 51 All-Stars couldn’t bring her in for the tying run.

Sandberg-Zygo took the loss in the circle despite pitching well, allowing two runs, one earned, on eight hits and no walks with seven strikeouts in six innings.

She also had a hit, along with second baseman Ariana Cerda, right fielder Bella Hackler and shortstop Ava Santacruz.

Northern California got on the board in the fourth inning on an RBI groundout, then went ahead in the sixth on an RBI single after the first batter of the inning reached on an error.

Southern California had the bases loaded with two outs in the fourth inning after Makayla Thomas walked, Cerda singled and Katrina Ramirez walked. But the next batter flied out to end the threat.

It was a lot different than the first time the two teams met in the championship bracket on Sunday where Quartz Hill scored 11 runs on 12 hits for an 11-4 victory over Northern California.

Sandberg-Zygo took the win in the circle in that game, allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits and four walks with five strikeouts in six innings. She also hit a two-run, inside-the-park home run in the game.

Santacruz was 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI for Quartz Hill, while Thomas finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs, Carmen Bocanegra was 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored and Trinity McIntosh was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs.

Dell, Emma Garcia and Cerda all had one hit apiece, while Alina Elias had a hit and an RBI.

Quartz Hill opened the tournament on June 22 with a 10-3 win over Hawaii.

Sandberg-Zygo again got the win, allowing no runs on four hits and two walks with nine strikeouts in 4.2 innings. Cerda pitched the final 1.1 innings, allowing three runs, one earned, on two hits and one walk with two strikeouts.

Dell finished with a triple and three RBIs, while Bocanegra recorded an RBI, and Aryanna Olmos and McIntosh had a hit apiece. The team benefitted from nine walks in the game.

Quartz Hill defeated Arizona 2-1 to get to the championship game, scoring both runs in the bottom of the seventh inning after Arizona took a 1-0 lead in the top of the seventh.

Sandberg-Zygo singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh, stole second base and advanced to third on a sac bunt by Santacruz. Sandberg-Zygo then scored on a two-out RBI single by Ramirez to tie the game.

Cerda hit the game-winner, a triple to center field to bring home Ramirez for the walk-off victory. Ramirez and Cerda were both 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Dell hit a double in the game.

Sandberg-Zygo allowed one unearned run on four hits and three walks with six strikeouts to earn the victory.

Quartz Hill won the District 51 tournament and the Southern California state tournament to get to the West Regional.

They defeated California City, 18-1, to start the D51 tournament, then posted two wins over Palmdale, last year’s champion, 20-3 and 18-2 to win the title.

In the state tournament, Quartz Hill beat West End LL (District 43) 14-0 before falling to host San Marino National 4-2 in seven innings. The team then defeated Grand Terrace 11-0 in the elimination bracket to get back to the championship game where they defeated San Marino National 9-5 and 4-3 to win the state championship.

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