Brix of the Menlo-Atherton Little League will face Homefield Advantage of the Alpine/West Menlo Little League in the July Fourth Majors Division championship game.
Both teams advanced to the game by winning the championships of their respective leagues. Brix, which had a 15-8 record this season, beat Cashin for the Menlo-Atherton title, while Homefield beat Professional Insurance for the Alpine championship, improving the team’s record to 16-2.
The July Fourth game starts at 9 a.m. in Menlo Park (Harrison Field in Burgess Park).
The matchup will feature top-notch pitching. In Brix’s defeat of Cashin, star pitcher Jack Larson struck out 14, while allowing only one hit, walking none and shutting out Cashin 6-0.
“Larson pitched the best game of his life in the biggest game of his life,” said Brix co-manager Keith Newman.
However, Newman will have to hope Larson has another pitching gem left in him, as runs may be scarce against the tough pitching combination of Nick Lange and Mikey Diekroeger for Homefield.
Lange and Diekroeger combined to hold Professional Insurance to two runs — enough to ensure the victory for Homefield in the 3-2 Alpine league championship game.
Although his team lost eight games this year (compared to Homefield’s two losses), Newman remained confident, noting that Brix has “really stepped up in the playoffs.”
Brix players hope their timely hitting will carry over into the July Fourth showdown as four of the team’s six runs against Cashin came during a two-out rally in the fourth inning. Pitcher Larson was able to aid his own cause in the fourth-inning rally, driving in two runs and later scoring.
“I know Alpine has a lot of talent in their league but M-A is all about heart,” said Newman. “I like our chances.”
Nonetheless, the Homefield team has produced six All-Stars in Lange, Diekroeger, Ryan Galvin, Colin Lockareff, Dominic Andrighetto, and Zach Jones.
GAME TIME
The championship game between Brix and Homefield will take place at 9 a.m. Wednesday, July Fourth, at Harrison Field in Burgess Park in the Menlo Park Civic Center.
