Aliso Viejo's First Inning Barrage Too Much for Encinitas

Forty-nine pitches were thrown to 15 batters. Nine runs were scored on eight hits. There were three home runs, two on the first pitch, along with three walks, two wild pitches and one error.

And that was all in the top half of the first inning.

The Aliso Viejo All-Stars again put on a first-inning offensive clinic Sunday in the Little League Sub-Division III tournament. When the dust had settled two hours later, Aliso Viejo had won another rout, this time 16-7 over Encinitas of North San Diego County at Woodfield Park.

Next up will be Corona National, which won its first game Saturday over Park View, 8-6. Aliso Viejo manager Scott Poirot is fairly familiar with Corona. He grew up there and played on the Little League team between 1987-89 that won three consecutive district and section championships but never made in past the divisional games.

The game will be played at Woodfield Park, Field #4, at 7:00 p.m.

“We got knocked out in this tournament,” Poirot recalled. “I don’t think I know anybody there anyone, but playing against the city I grew up in will be fun.”

If Aliso Viejo can continue tearing apart opponent’s pitching staffs like it has lately, it’s going to be a another block party for Poirot and the Boys in Black.

The hitting star for Aliso Viejo, like he has been throughout post-season play, was Hunter Jump. He went 5 for 5 with two, two-run home runs in the first inning, along with a double and two singles for 9 RBI. Naturally, when asked how he thought he played, Jump answered, “I could have done better.” True, as the starting pitcher he did walk two of the four batters he faced in the bottom of the first inning.

But arguably the biggest hit of that first inning belong to the No. 9 hitter, Carter Matthys, who belted a three-run home run on a two-strike count with two outs to give Aliso Viejo a 7-0 lead.

“It was huge, huge, huge,” Poirot agreed. “He’s five of his last five. He’s on fire. I told him that when he’s hitting like that he’s out x factor. He’s getting a lot of fastballs in that spot.
Jump said that by scoring runs early and often, the players are not pressing at the plate.

“We just like to go up on them early so we can relax a little bit and play good defense,” he said.

Aliso Viejo scored twice in the second on a wild pitch and RBI double by Jump, and once more in the third on an RBI single by Luke Sigler to lead 12-0, which allowed the manager to juggle his pitching rotation. Poirot used his son, Ryan, for 30 pitches then used Sigler, Jake Briones and Max Binaei the rest of the way to save his top pitchers.

“Every game is important but you’ve got to play for the tournament as well. I have to maximize pitches the best I can,” Scott Poirot said. “If I had Hunter throw 85 pitches today he would be done for the tournament. Once we took a 9-0 lead you are throwing 20 (pitches per pitcher).”

Encinitas scored single runs in the third and fifth inning and five in the fourth inning, highlighted by Cade Brown’s three-run home run to cut the deficit to 13-6. The team finished with 10 hits. But Aliso Viejo extended the lead to 10 on a three-run pop single by Jump with two outs as the outfielders were playing a step from the outfield fence.

Aliso finished with 19 hits and Scott Poirot said he doesn’t see his team stop hitting anytime soon.

“There’s no concern when you hit like these guys,” he said. “They have been doing some a great job and are so focused when they come up to the plate. I haven’t seen a pitcher hold them back yet, and they have faced some pretty good pitching, too.”

 In a loser’s bracket game:

Park View, the Section 7 champion, was eliminated Sunday from the tournament following a 12-2 loss to Highland. Highland will face Encinitas Monday on Field #6 at 6:00 p.m.