M-A Little League: Lutticken's stakes its claim to title M-A Little League: Lutticken's stakes its claim to title (May 26, 2004)

By David Hansen
M-A Little League staff

With only four league games left to play in Menlo-Atherton Little League action, Lutticken's hammered out two big victories last week to leave it well positioned to take the regular season title. Brix, with two games remaining, might still make a run. But Draeger's dropped three games in a tough week to leave it shopping for bridesmaid's attire.

Here are some game highlights:

** Monday, May 17, at Willow Field saw the start of Draeger's misfortune. They went seven rounds in a seesaw battle with Anderson's, only to be knocked out in the end 13-11. Willie DeWitt led the victors at the plate with four line drive hits in four trips. Reliever Tyler Moragne got the win in relief. Bo Sakowski and Ryan DeGregorio each had two hits for Draeger's.

** Lutticken's went large the next day against Brix, hammering out 16 runs to Brix's 4. Casey Monroe treated Lutticken's fans to his second grand slam of the year, while Tom Schertler was impressive on the mound. Nils Gilbertson and Ben Levinson each stroked doubles for the winners.

** Lutticken's met the other would-be contender, Draeger's, on Saturday with a similar result. Casey Eason's three-bagger, and key hits from John Athens and Chase Warren led Lutticken's to a comfortable 8-1 triumph.

** In perhaps the week's most exciting finish, Ryan McGill crushed a sixth inning fastball far over the Blue Monster in right center to earn Brix an 8-6 walk-off win over Anderson's. Teammate Jack Larson's four innings of stellar relief, and Phillip Anderson's key run to tie it in the fifth, helped it all come together for Brix.

** Cashin dropped a tough one to Anderson's 5-3 on Thursday, May 20, but bounced back two days later to wrest a win from Goetz, 5-2. Austin Hume allowed only four hits in a complete game victory powered by the hot bats of Russ DeSandre, Jake Batchelder and Rooney Pitchford. Cameron Winn caught all six of Hume's fine outing.

** Consecutive doubles by Goetz's Paul Kerr, Michael Culhane and Chris Bell led them to a 9-3 victory Wednesday over Draeger's. Jeff Keller shut out Cashin Co. Saturday, May 22, in the continuation of a suspended game, helping them to another victory, 9-6.

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