LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL: Pitching will be key for Encino

Encino's 14-under baseball all-star team is one victory away after splitting the first two games with San Clemente in the best-of-three championship series in the Souther California state tournament at Arlington Heights Sports Park in Riverside.

But Encino (11-1) will need to receive a strong effort from Anthony Mayorga or any other available pitchers in the deciding game at 7 p.m. Sunday after Mitchell Kerner, Zach Lewis and Tristan Matters threw a combined 12 innings Saturday.

San Clemente (11-2) also had to go deep in its pitching staff, meaning whichever team survives the deciding game, it will be at a distinct disadvantage entering Tuesday's opening game of the Junior Baseball Western Regionals in Laguna Niguel.

Encino, which rallied from a five-run deficit Wednesday to defeat Golden Hill 7-5 in the North sub-divisional in Tehachapi, nearly pulled off a similar comeback in the second game Saturday.

After winning the opening game 9-3, Encino fell behind 6-1 after committing four errors in the fourth inning of the second game. But Encino rallied with three runs in the sixth and another run in the seventh to pull within 6-5, before stranding the tying run on third and the go-ahead run on first in its final at-bat.

Encino's 14-under and 12-under all-stars combined to win 22 of their first 23 games this summer to advance to their respective championship series. But after Encino's split at the 14-under level and a 12-1 loss to Ocean View in the 12-under division, both teams will play in elimination games Sunday.

No Encino Little League baseball team has reached the Western Regionals at any level.