Orcutt National Giants pitcher Dion Stevenson didn’t change pitching speeds much Monday night.
“I threw one off-speed pitch,” Stevenson said afterward. The rest were fastballs in a two-hit complete game gem. The Giants beat the Santa Maria Westside Dodgers 4-0 at Oakley Park, Westside’s home site, to win the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
The Elks Valley Little League title is the first for the Giants in “my third and final year of coaching the team,” said Giants manager Lance Campa. Stevenson finished his third year with the Giants Monday night.
Orcutt National Giants pitcher Dion Stevenson hurls the ball towards the plate during Monday evening’s game against the Westside Dodgers. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
The Orcutt National Cardinals beat the Santa Maria Northside A’s 19-11 at Oakley Park Monday night to win the Elks Valley Minor Division title.Â
Stevenson was the Major Division game MVP. The award was in honor of the late Chris Leon, a former Orcutt American player who was a standout in football and baseball at Righetti High School and later in football at Hancock College.  Â
Stevenson yielded a first-inning Dom Andrade single and a second-inning Ben Valdez double to the Dodgers. That was it. Stevenson struck out 10 batters and walked just three. The right-hander finished with a flourish, striking out the side in order in the top of the sixth inning.
Giants lead-off batter Blake Reed smashed a lead-off triple to right field in the bottom of the second inning then Emmett Herr singled Reed home. Herr delivered the only RBI hit of the game.
Sam Grindy scored on a passed ball in the first inning, and Grindy and Patrick Campa came home on a two-base error in the outfield in the third.
Stevenson and Dodgers right-hander Ava Lopez both pitched a complete game.
Westside Dodgers pitcher Ava Lopez hurls the ball towards the plate during Monday evening’s game against the Orcutt National Giants. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
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“Ava has been a dominant player at this level for years,” with both her hitting and pitching, said Lance Campa.
“She got nine strikeouts. We were able to grind out just enough offense to win.”
The Giants mustered seven hits Monday night. Grindy finished 3-for-3 with a fifth-inning double and scored twice. Herr went 2-for-2. Patrick Campa had one hit. The Reed triple and the Grindy double accounted for the Giants’ two extra-base hits.
The Dodgers stranded three runners in scoring position Monday night. The Giants stranded five runners in scoring position against Lopez.Â
Besides Stevenson’s dominant pitching and some timely hitting, the Giants defense did a solid job in back of Stevenson. The Giants had just one error, in the first.
Bob Draper, a former long-time Santa Maria Valley and District 65 umpire before he retired and moved to Rock Springs, Wyoming, was honored before the game. Draper umpired third base Monday night.
Orcutt National Cardinals 19, SM Northside A’s 11
The Cardinals put up a steady stream of scoring, including five runs in the top of the sixth inning, and took the Elks Valley Minor Division title.
The Cardinals’ M.J. Garza was the game MVP. Â
Orcutt National Giants win Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship game over Santa Maria Westside | Photos
The Orcutt National Giants celebrate their win over the Westside Dodgers Monday evening. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
The Orcutt National Giants defeated the Santa Maria Westside Dodgers 4-0 during Monday evening’s Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship game.
David DuBransky, Contributor
Orcutt National Giants pitcher Dion Stevenson hurls the ball towards the plate during Monday evening’s game against the Westside Dodgers. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Westside Dodgers pitcher Ava Lopez hurls the ball towards the plate during Monday evening’s game against the Orcutt National Giants. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Orcutt National’s Levi Oliver faces off against Westside pitcher Ava Lopez Monday evening. The Orcutt National Giants beat the Westside Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Santa Maria Westside Dodger Matteo Maldonado makes the play at first during Monday evening’s game against the Orcutt National Giants. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Orcutt National’s Emmett Herr throws the ball to first during Monday evening’s city championship game against the Westside Dodgers. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Santa Maria Westside Dodger Cain Gonzalez jogs to first after a walk during Monday evening’s game against the Orcutt National Giants. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Orcutt National catcher Patrick Campa throws the ball back to the pitcher during Monday night’s game against the Westside Dodgers. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Westside Dodgers right fielder Ricky Ray Valdez throws the ball to second during Monday evening’s game against the Orcutt National Giants. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Orcutt National second baseman Dominic Salinas makes the throw to first during Monday’s game against the Westside Dodgers. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Santa Maria Westside Dodger Mason Aceves tosses the ball towards the dugout during Monday evening’s game against the Orcutt National Giants. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Orcutt National Giant’s player Sam Grindy celebrates his double during Monday evening’s game against the Westside Dodgers. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Santa Maria Westside Dodger Jasper Baray makes the catch during Monday evening’s game against the Orcutt National Giants. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Orcutt National’s Ares Cardenas prepares to lay down a bunt during Monday night’s game against the Westside Dodgers. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Santa Maria Westside first baseman Ben Valdez watches the batter during Monday evening’s game against the Orcutt National Giants. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Orcutt National’s Dion Stevenson makes the infield catch during Monday evening’s game against the Westside Dodgers. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Santa Maria Westside Dodger Ava Lopez waits for play to resume during Monday evening’s game against the Orcutt National Giants. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Orcutt National catcher Sam Grindy checks the runner at first during Monday’s game against the Westside Dodgers. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Santa Maria Westside Dodger Dom Andrade fouls one off during Monday evening’s game against the Orcutt National Giants. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Santa Maria Westside batter Cain Gonzalez calls for time during Monday evening’s game against the Orcutt National Giants. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Orcutt National catcher Dominic Salinas lifts closing pitcher Patrick Campa off his feet after Campa struck out the final batter to clinch their win against the Westside Dodgers. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
The Orcutt National Giants celebrate their win over the Westside Dodgers Monday evening. The Giants beat the Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor
Orcutt National Giants pitcher Dion Stevenson was named the Most Valuable Player Monday evening by the Santa Maria Elks Lodge. The Giants beat the Santa Maria Westside Dodgers 4-0 to take the Elks Valley Little League Major Division championship.
David DuBransky,Contributor