Game 10 - Chinandega, Nicaragua (7) vs. Placentia, California (0)
Chinandega, Nicaragua delivered a dominant all-around performance on Sunday at Aviara Community Park, shutting out Placentia, California 7-0 behind a two-pitcher gem from N. Salinas and H. Rivera.
Salinas set the tone early, working 5.2 scoreless innings and keeping the Placentia lineup off balance with a mix of precision and power. He scattered four hits, struck out six, and issued just one walk in a masterful outing. Rivera came on in relief and sealed the win with 1.1 innings of shutout baseball. He allowed just two hits, struck out one, walked one, and ended the game by inducing a double play — slamming the door on any hopes of a Placentia rally.
Chinandega’s offense provided plenty of support, striking first in the second inning when L. Zeledon delivered a two-run single to give them an early 2-0 lead. They struck again in the sixth with a big swing from E. Solorzano, who launched a two-run home run to center field to extend the lead. Chinandega continued to tack on runs through disciplined at-bats and timely hitting, ultimately building a comfortable seven-run cushion.
E. Lopez and A. Zapata were relentless at the plate, each collecting two hits and setting the table for the heart of the order. Zapata, Solorzano, and Zeledon each tallied two RBIs to lead the charge. Chinandega’s hitters combined patience with power, consistently putting pressure on Placentia’s pitchers. Placentia’s starter, J. Esparza, kept his team within striking distance through the early innings, allowing just three hits and two runs while striking out five in three innings of work. However, Placentia’s offense struggled to break through against Chinandega’s stingy pitching. Despite the loss, M. Mejia was a bright spot for Placentia, finishing a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and accounting for nearly all of the team's offensive highlights.
Defensively, Chinandega remained sharp, turning one double play and playing error-free baseball throughout the game — a testament to their poise and discipline on the field. With the win, Chinandega, Nicaragua continues to show why they’re a dangerous contender, combining shutdown pitching with timely, clutch hitting in a well-rounded effort.
Congratulations to Placentia, CA on their 2025 PONY-13 World Series Appearance! The team finished with a 1-2 record, and have been eliminated from the tournament. Chinandega, Nicaragua will play the loser of Game 13: Vega Alta, Puerto Rico vs. Tijuana, Baja, Mexico on July 28 at 12:00PM.
Game 11 - Brownsville, Texas (2) vs. San Diego, California (18)
Brownsville, Texas couldn’t keep pace with San Diego, California’s explosive offense on Sunday, falling 18-2 at Aviara Community Park. San Diego wasted no time getting on the board, putting up four runs in the top of the first inning. J. Merkel opened the scoring with an RBI single, followed by a fielder’s choice from R. Ham that brought in another run. P. Tamyo capped off the rally with a two-run single to give San Diego a commanding early lead.
The offensive surge continued in the second, as San Diego added two more runs. Merkel drew a bases-loaded walk, and Ham lifted a sacrifice fly to stretch the lead to 6-0. The floodgates opened in the third inning when San Diego erupted for eight runs on eight hits. K. Forero reached on a fielder’s choice to bring in a run, followed by an RBI single from W. Lara Jr. N. Lacson added another RBI single before Merkel drove in a run on a groundout. Ham then ripped a two-run double, Tamyo added an RBI single, and E. Weber knocked in a run to cap off the massive frame, making it 14-0.
Brownsville managed to get on the board in the bottom of the third, plating two runs. M. Solis drove in a run on a fielder’s choice, and another scored on a wild pitch. But it wasn’t enough to slow down the San Diego momentum. San Diego added four more in the top of the fourth to seal the victory, including RBI hits from multiple players throughout the lineup.
E. Cooper got the start for San Diego and pitched effectively, allowing two hits and two runs over 2.1 innings while striking out one. R. Hernandez Jr. took the mound for Brownsville and struggled against the relentless San Diego lineup, giving up six runs on five hits in just over an inning of work. San Diego’s offense was red-hot, racking up 16 hits. Lara Jr. and Lacson were a dynamic duo, both going 3-for-3 at the plate. Ham was the catalyst in the heart of the order, driving in five runs while going 1-for-3. Tamyo, Weber, and Dinh each contributed multiple hits in the win.
For Brownsville, A. Cavazos, L. Frady, and P. Tovar each notched one hit. Solis accounted for the team’s lone RBI. San Diego’s complete team effort — fueled by timely hitting, aggressive baserunning, and consistent at-bats — proved too much for Brownsville to handle in the Sunday matchup.
Congratulations to Brownsville, TX on their 2025 PONY-13 World Series Appearance! The team finished with a 1-2 record, and have been eliminated from the tournament. San Diego will face the loser of Game 12: Chiba, Japan vs. Carlsbad, CA on July 28 at 9:00AM.
Game 12 - Chiba, Japan (9) vs. Carlsbad, California (0)
Carlsbad, California struggled to generate offense on Sunday afternoon, falling 9-0 to Chiba, Japan at Aviara Community Park in a game defined by sharp pitching, disciplined hitting, and clean defense from the Japanese squad. Chiba, Japan set the tone early, striking first in the bottom of the first inning when T. Nagata singled to center to drive in the game’s opening run. They extended the lead to 2-0 in the second after an error by Carlsbad allowed another run to score. In the third inning, D. Nakata grounded out to bring home another run, giving Chiba a 3-0 advantage.
The game broke open in the bottom of the fourth, when Chiba added four runs on multiple hits and aggressive base running. K. Asaka, R. Miyamoto, and H. Hirai each drove in runs to widen the gap. Chiba tacked on two more in the later innings to cap off a complete performance on both sides of the ball. M. Lohre started the game for Carlsbad, going 3.1 innings and allowing six hits and four runs (only one earned), while striking out two and walking three. Despite Lohre’s efforts on the mound, Carlsbad's defense faltered with costly errors that helped fuel Chiba’s scoring.
Y. Nakahama got the start for Chiba and delivered a strong opening frame, striking out two while allowing just one hit. Chiba's bullpen took it from there, combining for six shutout innings and limiting Carlsbad to just five hits total. Carlsbad’s offense struggled to string together any rallies, though B. Farrell, C. Dooley, L. Rivera, R. Nishimoto, and J. Tran each recorded one hit. The team threatened a few times but couldn’t push a run across the plate.
Chiba, on the other hand, showcased a well-rounded offensive attack, tallying 10 hits. Nagata led the charge with a 3-for-4 performance, while K. Katsuta chipped in two hits. Hirai, Miyamoto, Nagata, and Asaka each contributed an RBI, and the team displayed patience at the plate, working six walks in total. Defensively, Chiba was flawless — not committing a single error. T. Suzuki anchored the infield with six total chances, helping to maintain the shutout.
It was a tough day at the park for Carlsbad, who will look to regroup and bounce back in their next matchup. Meanwhile, Chiba, Japan continues to impress with their efficient offense, strong pitching depth, and airtight defense.
San Diego will face Carlsbad, CA on July 28 at 9:00AM. Chiba, Japan will face the winner of Game 14: Carlsbad, CA vs. San Diego, CA on July 28 at 3:00PM.
Game 13 - Vega Alta, Puerto Rico (7) vs. Tijuana, Baja, Mexico (3)
Vega Alta, Puerto Rico delivered a well-rounded performance on Sunday at Aviara Community Park, defeating Tijuana, Baja, Mexico 7-3 behind early offense, clutch hitting, and dominant relief pitching.
The scoring started quickly in the bottom of the first as Vega Alta wasted no time getting on the board. D. Figueroa drove in the first run with a sharp single, and just moments later, Diego Suarez launched a two-run home run over the left field fence to give Puerto Rico an early 3-0 lead and ignite the home crowd.
In the second inning, Vega Alta capitalized on a dropped third strike and a double to left field by Elisahir Rivera, stretching their lead to 5-0. J. Veiazquez added another run in the third with a line drive single down the left field line, making it 6-2.
Figueroa shined on both sides of the ball. In addition to his RBI single, he took the mound in relief and was dominant, tossing 3.1 innings while allowing just one run on six hits, striking out seven and walking two. His poise under pressure helped quiet a potential Tijuana comeback. Derek Poueymirow started for Vega Alta, working two innings, allowing one hit and two runs, but struggled with command, walking seven.
Tijuana tried to stay in the game with patient at-bats, drawing 10 walks on the day. R. Ruvalcaba and A. Jimenez each recorded two hits, with Ruvalcaba driving in two of the team’s three runs. M. Reyes and S. Gross contributed three walks apiece as part of Tijuana's disciplined approach at the plate, but timely hits proved elusive.
Offensively, Suarez led Vega Alta with three RBIs despite going 1-for-4. Rivera and Figueroa each collected two hits, while Jayden Richardson showed great plate discipline, drawing two walks. As a team, Puerto Rico tallied seven free passes and kept the pressure on all game.
Defensively, both teams were sharp. Vega Alta and Tijuana each turned a double play and played error-free baseball. J. Veiazquez was a steady presence at shortstop, leading Vega Alta with four defensive chances. For Tijuana, I. Soto was busy behind the dish or in the field (position not listed), tallying a game-high 11 chances.
With the win, Vega Alta, Puerto Rico showcased their depth, power, and poise — key ingredients as they look to build momentum in tournament play.
Tijuana, Baja, Mexico will face Chinandega, Nicaragua on July 28 at 12:00PM. Vega Alta, Puerto Rico will face the winner of Game 17: Tijuana, Baja, Mexico vs Chinandega, Nicaragua on July 28 at 6:00PM.