Gonzales, SVLL power, pitch past Encino

2026 LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL

Gonzales homers for SVLL’s only hit, delivers three scoreless innings

EastCountySports.com

ALISO VIEJO — Leo Gonzales supplied the game’s only Sweetwater Valley hit and then protected the lead from the mound Tuesday, carrying the Section 7 champions past nationally ranked Encino, 2-1, in the Southern California Little League State Tournament.

Gonzales launched a two-run home run to left field in the top of the first inning, providing all the scoring Sweetwater Valley needed to improve to 3-0 at Woodfield Park.

Julian Sevilla and Gonzales combined on a four-hitter as SVLL advanced to Thursday’s winner’s-bracket final against Glendora American.

Sweetwater Valley could now be considered one of the top five teams in the country after knocking off an Encino team that independent pollsters rated No. 4 in the nation entering the week. SVLL came into the game ranked No. 9 in the U.S.

Sevilla worked the opening three innings, allowing two hits and one run while striking out five. Encino drew five walks against him but could not convert those opportunities into a larger inning.

Gonzales then delivered three scoreless innings in relief. He allowed two hits, struck out three and walked one, completing another pitching-driven Sweetwater Valley victory.

Encino starter Caleb allowed only Gonzales’ home run over five innings and struck out 12. Asher Sonnier drove in Encino’s lone run, while Lorenzo Aguilar, Liam Martinez and Vander Lins were among its four hitters with a hit.

Sweetwater Valley finished with only one hit, but it again demonstrated why it entered the tournament as one of Southern California’s leading championship contenders. SVLL created one decisive moment, received six innings of frontline pitching and protected another narrow lead.

Tournament impact

Sweetwater Valley has now defeated Golden Hill, Goleta Valley South and Encino while allowing only one run across 18 innings.

Noah Kirk opened the tournament with a 12-strikeout shutout. Isaac Ramirez and Gonzales combined to blank Goleta. Sevilla and Gonzales then held one of the state’s most dangerous lineups to one run.

The victory over Encino is SVLL’s most significant result yet. Encino entered the week ranked fourth nationally, while Sweetwater Valley was ninth. On the field, Sweetwater has now assembled the stronger state-tournament résumé.

SVLL is one victory away from advancing directly to Sunday’s championship series at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino.

Next for Sweetwater Valley

Sweetwater Valley faces Glendora American in Thursday’s winner’s-bracket final.

Glendora has scored 13 runs in victories over Rolling Hills and Scripps Ranch, but its defining strength has been late-game execution. It broke a 3-3 tie against Rolling Hills with three runs in the sixth and transformed a 2-2 game against Scripps Ranch with a five-run sixth.

Sweetwater will need another complete six-inning performance. Glendora has demonstrated that keeping the score close for five innings is not enough.

SVLL, however, reaches the matchup with Kirk and Ramirez having received additional rest while Sevilla and Gonzales handled Encino. Its pitching depth and run prevention have become the defining forces in this tournament.

Sweetwater clearly has three elite pitchers capable of shutting down some of the best teams in the entire region.

Next for Encino

Encino falls into Wednesday’s elimination-bracket quarterfinal against defending Southern California champion Golden Hill.

The matchup places two of the tournament’s most accomplished teams one loss from elimination. Golden Hill has responded to its opening loss against Sweetwater by defeating Rolling Hills 11-1 and Ladera Ranch National 5-2.

Encino’s pitching performance against SVLL was championship-caliber. Its immediate challenge is restoring an offense that produced four hits and stranded too many opportunities despite drawing six walks.

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Glendora American strikes late, hands Scripps Ranch first loss

EastCountySports.com

ALISO VIEJO — Scripps Ranch carried a two-run lead into the fifth inning Tuesday, but Glendora American scored seven unanswered runs over its final two at-bats to defeat SRLL, 7-2, in the Southern California winner’s-bracket semifinals.

Ben Caballero singled home the opening run in the bottom of the third, and Lucas Morton followed with an RBI groundout to give Scripps Ranch a 2-0 advantage.

Ethan Lum protected that lead through four innings before Glendora tied the game in the fifth. Jackson Ochoa drove home one run on a groundout, and McCoy Davis followed with a sacrifice fly.

Glendora then broke the game open with five runs on five hits in the sixth. Dominic Jacalone delivered the decisive blow with a two-run home run to left field.

Lum worked five and two-thirds innings, striking out seven and walking one. He kept Scripps Ranch in control through the first four innings before Glendora’s deep lineup broke through during its final two opportunities.

Luke Koba, Teddy Hanvey, Caballero, Noah Saldivar and Lum each collected a hit for Scripps Ranch.

Glendora finished with 10 hits. Jose Ballesteros, Francisco Herrera and Jackson Fraijo collected two apiece, while Herrera and Jacalone each drove in two runs. Its defense completed an error-free game.

Tournament impact

The loss ends Scripps Ranch’s 9-0 postseason start but does not erase its breakthrough performance in Aliso Viejo.

SRLL opened the tournament by stunning top-ranked Eastvale, 5-1, and followed with a 13-hit victory over Ladera Ranch National. It led Glendora through four innings before the game changed late.

The result does alter Scripps Ranch’s route. Instead of receiving Wednesday off and playing for a direct place in the championship series, SRLL must now win three consecutive elimination games merely to reach Sunday.

Next for Scripps Ranch

Scripps Ranch faces Vineyard in Wednesday’s elimination-bracket quarterfinal.

Vineyard has already eliminated two prominent opponents, beating Eastvale 6-5 and Goleta Valley South 7-5. Wyatt McAninch hit the decisive grand slam against Eastvale, and Jackson Meadows delivered another sixth-inning grand slam to erase Goleta’s four-run lead.

That makes the late innings especially important. Scripps Ranch controlled Glendora for most of Tuesday’s game but could not close it. Vineyard has built its tournament run by punishing opponents precisely when games appear nearly settled.

SRLL remains one of the field’s strongest teams, but its pitching usage and ability to recover quickly will now determine whether its state run continues.

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Encino rebounds with 7-0 shutout of Golden Hill

Scripps Ranch–Vineyard elimination game postponed until Thursday

By Ramon Scott
EastCountySports.com

ALISO VIEJO — One day after stranding 15 runners in its first postseason loss, Encino converted its opportunities early and combined strong pitching with error-free defense to eliminate defending Southern California champion Golden Hill, 7-0, Wednesday at Woodfield Park.

Encino had placed runners aboard throughout Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to Sweetwater Valley but could not produce the decisive hit. Against Golden Hill, the Section 2 champions broke through in the second inning and erupted for six runs in the third.

Matt Lazo and an Encino reliever combined on a two-hit shutout, sending Encino into the elimination-bracket semifinal and moving the nationally regarded contender within three victories of the Southern California championship.

Lazo allowed no hits over three innings, striking out two and walking one. Encino’s relief pitcher completed the shutout with three scoreless innings, allowing two hits while striking out four without issuing a walk.

Encino took a 1-0 lead on a second-inning sacrifice fly before breaking open the game in the third.

Chris Amussen was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, forcing home the first run of the inning. Run-scoring singles by Vander Lins and two other Encino batters widened the margin. Another run scored during a double play, and a Golden Hill error completed the six-run rally.

Lins, Amussen and two teammates drove in runs. Encino played its second consecutive error-free game after committing no errors against Sweetwater Valley.

Golden Hill managed only two hits and could not generate another elimination-bracket response. The defending champions had stayed alive with victories over Rolling Hills and Ladera Ranch National after losing their opener to Sweetwater Valley, but their title defense ended against Encino.

Tournament impact

Encino’s national reputation survived Tuesday’s narrow loss, but Wednesday’s response revealed more about the team than another comfortable victory might have.

The Section 2 champions did not allow the frustration of leaving 15 runners aboard against Sweetwater Valley to carry into an elimination game. They scored in consecutive innings, received contributions throughout the order and preserved pitching while taking control early.

The shutout also reinforced the depth behind Encino’s highly regarded offense. Lazo and the defense never allowed Golden Hill to establish momentum, and Encino did not need to rely upon its established home-run hitters to produce seven runs.

Golden Hill leaves the tournament with a 2-2 record. Its return through two elimination games reaffirmed the resilience that helped the program win the 2025 Southern California championship, but Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Sweetwater Valley placed the defending champions on a demanding path from which they could not fully recover.

Next for Encino

Encino advances to face the winner of the postponed Scripps Ranch–Vineyard game in the elimination-bracket semifinal.

Either opponent would present a substantial challenge. Scripps Ranch defeated previously top-ranked Eastvale and Ladera Ranch National before falling to Glendora American, while Vineyard has already eliminated Eastvale and Goleta Valley South.

Encino remains alive, but every remaining game is an elimination game until the championship round.

Scripps Ranch–Vineyard postponed

Wednesday’s scheduled elimination game between Scripps Ranch and Vineyard was postponed until Thursday.

Scripps Ranch said it had received notice that the game had been suspended but could not share any additional details. No official reason for the postponement was publicly available Wednesday.

Because Encino and Golden Hill played at the same complex during the scheduled time period, there is not enough information to attribute the postponement to heat, weather or field conditions.

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