In a game defined by elite pitching on both sides, Carlsbad, California edged out Chinandega, Nicaragua 3-1 on Saturday at Aviara Community Park. Carlsbad wasted no time jumping ahead in the bottom of the first inning. W. Peabody drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in the first run, and M. Lohre followed by grounding into a fielder’s choice — but a fielding miscue allowed two runs to cross the plate, giving Carlsbad a quick 3-0 advantage.
Those three runs proved to be all Carlsbad would need, thanks to a stellar effort from their pitching staff. J. Tran got the start and was sharp, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit, striking out six, and walking one. T. Hall entered in relief and was dominant, firing 3.2 innings of shutout baseball with seven strikeouts and no walks while surrendering only one hit. Together, the duo combined for 13 strikeouts and held Chinandega to just three total hits on the day.
Chinandega’s starter D. Valle also turned in a solid outing despite the early trouble, giving up only two hits and three runs (all in the first inning) across three innings. He struck out three and walked one before handing the ball off to the bullpen, which kept Carlsbad off the board for the remainder of the game. Carlsbad's offense was limited to just three hits, but made them count. R. Nishimoto and Tran each picked up a hit from the top of the order, while Lohre led the team with two RBIs. Despite not adding to their early lead, Carlsbad’s efficient pitching and clean defense kept them firmly in control.
Chinandega, Nicaragua got on the board in the fourth inning, when E. Lopez drove in a run with a single. Lopez, along with N. Salinas and E. Solorzano, accounted for Chinandega’s three hits. Defensively, Chinandega played a clean game with no errors, and Solorzano led the way with five chances in the field. The win was a testament to Carlsbad’s ability to capitalize early and then rely on dominant pitching and steady defense to shut the door. With the victory, they continue to build momentum as the tournament progresses.
Chinandega Nicaragua will face Placentia, CA on July 27 at 9:00AM. Carlsbad, CA will face Chiba, Japan on July 27 at 3:00PM.
Game 8 - Tijuana, Baja, Mexico (9) vs. San Diego, California (4)
San Diego, California couldn’t overcome a mid-game surge from Tijuana, Baja, Mexico, falling 9-4 on Saturday at Aviara Community Park. After two scoreless innings, Tijuana broke through in the bottom of the third. A. Jimenez got things going with an RBI single to center, followed by a costly San Diego error that allowed another run to score. J. Rosales then ripped a double down the left field line, capping the inning and giving Tijuana a 3-0 lead.
San Diego responded with four runs of their own, but Tijuana took control for good in the bottom of the fifth. R. Ruvalcaba doubled to bring in a run, and J. Avila delivered the big blow — a three-run homer to center field. M. Reyes followed with an RBI triple, extending the lead to 8-4. Tijuana would tack on another run to seal the game at 9-4. On the mound, R. Ham started for San Diego, allowing four runs (only one earned) on three hits over 3.1 innings while striking out two and walking one. J. Rosales got the start for Tijuana and was effective, going 6.2 innings while allowing five hits and four runs, striking out eight and walking just one.
San Diego’s offense was led by W. Lara Jr., who drove in three runs from the number seven spot in the lineup and finished the game 2-for-3. Despite solid at-bats, San Diego was held to five total hits on the day.
Tijuana’s bats stayed hot throughout the contest, collecting 10 hits as a team. Reyes and Jimenez each notched two hits, while Avila led the team with three RBIs thanks to his clutch home run. Tijuana also applied pressure on the base paths, swiping six stolen bases to keep the San Diego defense on edge. Defensively, Tijuana was flawless, committing no errors in the field. I. Soto was active at shortstop, leading the team with eight chances. The win highlighted Tijuana’s all-around strength — timely hitting, aggressive baserunning, and efficient pitching — while San Diego showed fight but couldn’t recover after Tijuana’s explosive fifth inning.