BASEBALL: San Gabriel Valley steals berth in regional final

Glendora's Martin Gallegos scored the deciding run on the back end of a delayed double steal in the top of the seventh inning Sunday night to give the San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth 18-under all-star baseball team a 2-1 victory over Watsonville in the Pacific Southwest Regional tournament at Modesto Christian High.

Bishop Amat's Daniel Zamora pitched six innings of two-hit ball, striking out six and allowing one unearned run, and Alhambra's Gary Acuna retired the side in order in the seventh -- striking out two -- for San Gabriel Valley (3-0), which advanced to the regional final at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Gallegos and Crescenta Valley's Elliott Surrey reached base in the seventh, before Bishop Amat's Andrew Medina forced Surrey at second with a ground ball to first to put runners at the corners with two outs, allowing coaches Phil Torres and Dave Mendoza to orchestrate the double steal.

Glendora's Nick Wagner scored in the top of the first for San Gabriel Valley before defending regional champion Watsonville benefited from a lazy fly ball to right that got past diving St. Francis graduate Mark Saatzer to tie the score at 1-1.