Vineyard eliminates Eastvale; Champ Golden Hill advances

2026 LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL

SOCAL LITTLE LEAGUE STATE TOURNAMENT

Vineyard eliminates top-rated Eastvale; Golden Hill rolls on

ALISO VIEJO — The team that entered the Southern California Little League Tournament with a 99-1 postseason scoring advantage is finished after two games.

Vineyard eliminated pre-tournament favorite Eastvale with a 6-5 victory Sunday at Woodfield Park, surviving two home runs by Thomas Coleman and advancing through the elimination bracket.

In Sunday’s other early game, defending Southern California champion Golden Hill overwhelmed previously unbeaten Rolling Hills, 11-1, in four innings.

San Diego entrants Sweetwater Valley and Scripps Ranch, both 1-0, are in action on Sunday in the winner’s bracket starting at 4 p.m.

Vineyard 6, Eastvale 5

Coleman homered twice and drove in three runs, but Wyatt McAninch’s third-inning grand slam supplied the decisive blow for Vineyard.

Eastvale opened the game with two first-inning home runs, including Coleman’s solo shot to right, and carried a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the third.

Vineyard abruptly overturned the game with five runs on six hits. McAninch drove a grand slam over the left-field fence, transforming Eastvale’s early advantage into a 5-2 Vineyard lead.

Coleman responded with a two-run homer to center in the fourth, pulling Eastvale within one. The District 72 champions eventually scored five runs on eight hits but could not complete the comeback.

Lukas Erickson and Coleman collected two hits apiece for Eastvale. Jacob Ornelas started on the mound and allowed five runs over 2⅔ innings.

McAninch finished with four RBIs.

Tournament impact

Eastvale’s elimination represents a stunning reversal after one of the most dominant district and sectional runs in Southern California history.

The District 72 champions outscored their district opponents 81-0 and their sectional opponents 18-1. After carrying a combined 99-1 scoring advantage into state play, Eastvale lost 5-1 to Scripps Ranch and 6-5 to Vineyard.

The tournament exposed the difference between overwhelming local competition and confronting section champions in consecutive games. Eastvale still demonstrated its considerable power Sunday, but one damaging inning decided each of its two losses. Scripps Ranch scored all five of its runs in the fifth Saturday; Vineyard scored five in the third Sunday.

Vineyard’s result is less surprising than its original position near the bottom of this deep field might suggest. The Section 8 champions scored 34 runs in three sectional games, then pushed Encino to the final inning in a 4-3 opening loss. McAninch’s grand slam provided the signature moment that lineup had threatened to produce.

Looking ahead

Vineyard advances to Monday’s 6:30 p.m. elimination game against the loser of Sunday’s Sweetwater Valley–Goleta Valley South matchup.

That assignment will test Vineyard against another accomplished pitching staff. Sweetwater Valley opened with Noah Kirk’s 12-strikeout shutout, while Goleta entered the tournament unbeaten behind a deep collection of pitchers.

Eastvale’s summer ends after consecutive losses by a combined five runs. Its state tournament lasted only two games, but Coleman’s two-home-run performance provided a final demonstration of the power that made Eastvale the original tournament favorite.

Golden Hill 11, Rolling Hills 1

Golden Hill responded to its opening loss like a defending champion, scoring nine runs over the first two innings and eliminating Rolling Hills by the run rule.

Bradley Fleming opened the scoring with a two-run home run to center in the first inning. Golden Hill then broke the game open with seven runs on six hits in the second.

Micah Mankiewicz and Jase Perez drew run-producing walks as Golden Hill transformed the elimination game into a rout.

Rolling Hills’ only run came when Zachary Mardesich homered to right in the bottom of the fourth.

Golden Hill finished with 10 hits, played errorless defense and turned a double play.

Fleming and Perez each drove in two runs. Mardesich collected two of Rolling Hills’ four hits.

Tournament impact

Golden Hill’s title defense appeared vulnerable after Sweetwater Valley shut it out 2-0 Saturday. Less than 24 hours later, the Section 5 champions delivered one of the tournament’s most decisive performances.

The response was consistent with the identity Golden Hill established during sectionals. After losing its sectional opener 1-0, it won four consecutive elimination games to reach the Southern California tournament. Sunday’s victory gives Golden Hill five wins in its last six games facing elimination.

Rolling Hills entered state play 6-0 with a 61-3 scoring advantage across district and sectional competition. Like Eastvale, it discovered that statistical dominance does not necessarily transfer against the collection of champions assembled in Aliso Viejo.

Rolling Hills battled Glendora American into the sixth inning Saturday before losing 6-3, but Golden Hill’s early power prevented another close finish. The Section 4 champions were eliminated after allowing 17 runs in two games—more than five times the total they surrendered before arriving at state.

Looking ahead

Golden Hill advances to Monday’s 6:30 p.m. elimination game against the loser of Sunday’s Scripps Ranch–Ladera Ranch National matchup.

If Scripps Ranch loses, Monday would produce an elimination game between the defending Southern California champion and the team that removed Eastvale from the favorite’s position. If Ladera Ranch National loses, Golden Hill will face a rested opponent making its tournament debut.

Either matchup will test Golden Hill’s pitching depth, but Sunday’s performance confirmed that the defending champion remains capable of fighting through the elimination bracket again.

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