SPRING VALLEY – The Calexico 10 year-old All-Stars representing the Valley’s Little League District 22 opened the California Little League Section 7 Tournament dropping a 16-3 decision to District 41 Fletcher Hills All-Stars at Sweetwater LL here on Saturday, July 12th.

The game was the first for the Calexico 10U All-Stars since they captured the District 22 All-Star tournament championship with a 7-5 victory over the Brawley 10U All-Stars on June 22nd.

“It’s been over two weeks since we played and we looked rusty during the first part of the game,” Calexico 10U All-Star manager Mateo Sauceda said. “The other teams here just finished their All-Star Tournaments last week and for some reason, District 22 always has a long time between the district and sectional tournaments.”

After two scoreless innings to open the game, the Fletcher Hills 10U All-Stars took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning as a one-out catcher’s inference call followed by three base hits allowed them to rally.

The unearned runs were charged to Calexico 10U All-Star starting pitcher Ian Cortez.

“I got a little tired but I thought that I pitched well and the coaches took me out becasuse they were trying to keep my pitch-count down,” Cortez said.

With the Section 7 All-Star tournament featuring four teams, District’s 22, 41, 42, and 66, and to be played over just four to five days, managing pitching, which is now limited by pitch-counts related to days of rest, is essential.

“I ended up using six pitchers because they were putting the ball in play and I was switching them up so that they were eligible to pitch the next couple days,” Sauceda said. “Now we have to win out to take the tournament so having pitching available becomes a concern.”

One of the six pitchers used by Sauceda was Calexico 10U All-Star Luca Barron, who opened the game at third base, relieved Cortez and then caught the last three innings.

“I like pitching and catching the best because I want to be involved in every play,“ Barron said.

Offensively, the Calexico 10U All-Stars showed early signs of rust at the plate and trailed 8-0 before Cortez opened up the bottom of the fifth inning with a triple down the right-field line.

“I told myself to get a hit…anything, a single, double, and I knew we needed to get somebody on base badly,” Cortez said. “It was a fastball and I turned on it and I said to myself ‘Please stay fair’ and it did.”

Two pitches later, Cortez broke the ice for the Calexico 10U All-Stars scoring easily on a wild pitch.

“I was watching the ball and I just went on my own on the wild pitch as I wanted to get us our first run,” Cortez said.

Later in the fifth inning, Calexico 10U’s Ruben Sigala, Jr., singled home a run, his second hit of the day.

“I wasn’t nervous to being playing up here (Spring Valley) and I faced harder pitchers this year,” Sigala said. “All they threw me today was fastballs but I’m used to it.”

Calexico must now win four consecutive games to capture the Section 7 tournament but Sauceda and his team seemed determined to give it try.

“We lost today but it wasn’t for a lack of effort, the boys played hard and I believe after this first game that we’ll be ready for the next few games,” Sauceda said.

Added Sigala, “We’re not going anywhere and I think that we’ll come back.”