District 54 all-stars move into championship round

Woodcreek Little League was packing most of the fireworks Sunday morning, a grand finale to District 54 all-star tournament pool play that could be heard from Granite Bay to El Dorado Hills.Woodcreek won two battles of unbeaten teams--over Maidu 12-8 and Lakeside 10-0 at the 9/10-year-old and Major levels--to finalize the championship rounds.Equally impressive is Roseville West, unbeaten in pool play in the Major and 11-year-old tournaments and a championship qualifier in the 9/10 event.Paul Diemer, director for the Major tournament at Feist Park in Granite Bay, noted these all-star players have followed the regular season with the Tournament of Champions and now all-stars, filling many off days with practice."This started in February. It's July," Diemer said after Woodcreek's bomb-filled 10-0 victory over Lakeside. "It's not easy. These kids have been playing a long time."And they'll keep playing this week. The championship round begins Tuesday for survivors of pool play.In the Major tournament, Woodcreek plays Maidu and Roseville West takes on Lakeside. Both games begin at 5:30 p.m.In the 11-year-old tournament at Maidu Regional Park, Roseville West will play Lakeside at 5 p.m., followed by Ponderosa and El Dorado Hills at 7:30. Roseville West outscored four opponents 40-12 in pool play, including a 2-1 nod over Woodcreek in what by far was its closest game.In the 9/10-year-old tournament, Woodcreek will play Roseville West at 5 p.m., followed by Maidu and El Dorado Hills at 7:30.Woodcreek's 9/10 team overcame an early two-run homer by Braeden Holliday to beat Maidu for the top seed in Pool A."He crushed that ball," Woodcreek coach Mike Watari said of Holliday. "We battled back and kept scoring runs. The boys played well."Daniel Susac had two doubles, Kyle Kern had a double and a single, and Justin Gangwish went 2 for 2 for Woodcreek.Maidu advances to the championship round riding the hot bat of Grahm Spitzer, hitting about .600 in the tournament, according to coach Carl Josephson, and the pitching and hitting of Sam Schroeder.Woodcreek's Major team pounded 14 hits in its win over Lakeside for the top seed in Pool A, and every starter had a hit.Woodcreek scored three runs in the first inning. Noah Kravich singled, and Austin Loeb hit a two-run homer. Joey Pankratz homered later in the inning.Matthew Ornelas led off the second with a single, and J.C. Santini hit a two-out, two-run bomb.Woodcreek pulled away with a five-run third that included singles by Cody Lindsey and Justin Smith, an RBI double by Ornelas, a two-run single by Loeb, a single by Santini, a walk to Pankratz and a two-run double by Spencer Cody.Lakeside loaded the bases in the first but couldn't score off Loeb, who struck out two in two innings. Ornelas pitched the last two innings, struck out three and didn't allow a ball out of the infield.DISTRICT 54 ALL-STAR TOURNAMENT SCHEDULESeniorAt Lembi Field, FolsomWednesday's game: Roseville West vs. Woodcreek, 8 p.m. Thursday: Maidu vs. Folsom, 8 p.m. Friday: Roseville West/Woodcreek winner vs. Gold Rush, 8 p.m.MajorAt Feist Park, Granite BayPool A standings: Woodcreek 4-0, Lakeside 3-1, El Dorado Hills 1-3, Folsom American 1-3, Folsom National 1-3.Pool B standings: Roseville West 4-0, Maidu 3-1, Ponderosa 2-2, Gold Rush 1-3, Snowline 0-4.Championship round (double elimination)Tuesday's games: Woodcreek vs. Maidu, 5:30 p.m.; Roseville West vs. Lakeside, 5:30 p.m.Wednesday: First-round losers, 5:30 p.m.Thursday: First-round winners, 5:30 p.m.Friday: Losers' bracket final, 5:30 p.m.Saturday: Championship, 5:30 p.m.11-year-oldsAt Maidu Regional ParkPool A standings: Roseville West 4-0, El Dorado Hills 3-1, Woodcreek 1-2, Folsom National 1-2, Folsom American 0-4.Pool B standings: Ponderosa 3-0, Lakeside 2-1, Gold Rush 1-2, Maidu 0-3.Championship round (double elimination)Tuesday's games: Roseville West vs. Lakeside, 5 p.m.; Ponderosa vs. El Dorado Hills, 7:30 p.m.Wednesday: First-round losers, 7 p.m.Thursday: First-round winners, 7 p.m.Friday: Losers' bracket final, 7 p.m.Saturday: Championship, 7 p.m.9- and 10-year-oldsAt Mitchell Field, El Dorado HillsPool A standings: Woodcreek 4-0, Maidu 3-1, Ponderosa 1-2, Folsom National 0-3.Pool B standings: El Dorado Hills 4-0, Roseville West 3-1, Lakeside 2-2, Gold Rush 1-3, Snowline 0-4.Championship round (double elimination)Tuesday's games: Woodcreek vs. Roseville West, 5 p.m.; El Dorado Hills vs. Maidu, 7:30 p.m.Wednesday: First-round losers, 7 p.m.Thursday: First-round winners, 7 p.m.Friday: Losers' bracket final, 7 p.m.Saturday: Championship, 7 p.m.