Danville Hoots Baseball Club

Saturday July 28:

HOOTS 3 vs Encinitas Gamers 1

The Danville HOOTS will play for the West Regional Connie Mack Championship on Sunday at Concordia University after a 3-1 win over the Encinitas Gamers on Saturday in their quest to return to the Connie Mack World Series.

Dylan Hecht threw a complete game for the HOOTS after being utilized in a closer role in previous games.  Using a combination of off speed pitches and a dominating fast ball Hecht was able to contain the Gamers potent offense.  Andre Davis put the HOOTS on the scoreboard in the second inning with a drive over the right field fence to score 2 runs.  Jesse Medrano added a third run later in the game leading off the fifth inning with a single, stolen base, and advancing on an Eddie Juarez sacrifice and scoring on a pass ball. 

The HOOTS will face the SoCal Renegades in their effort to return to the Connie Mack World Series.  The Danville team represented the west in 2009 and again in 2011 as the West Region Champion. Associate Head Coach John Rodrigues commented "some teams are satisfied to be where we are and what we have achieved, but our job is not done to meet our team goal.  The bracket seeding was not in our favor, but we need to take care of what we can control. We have high expectations in the HOOTS program."

Friday July 27:

HOOTS 2 vs SoCal Renegades 5.

The Danville HOOTS lost their first game at the West Regional late Friday 5-2 against the SoCal Renegades.

Playing their fourth game in 3 days, the two undefeated teams played late on Friday night with both teams advancing to the Final Four playoff on Saturday of the 10 team tournament.  The host SoCal Renegades faced off against the HOOTS in a rematch from the 2011 West Regional Championship which was won by the HOOTS to advance to the Connie Mack World Series.  The Renegades took an early 1-0 lead against HOOTS pitcher Sam Nathan but the HOOTS came back to lead at mid game 2-1.  The Renegades scored 3 times in the fifth inning and Nathan was relieved by Eric Crispell.  The Renegades pitchers kept the offense of the HOOTS off balance through out the game. 

The AABC bracket will change on Saturday as only the Renegades remain undefeated and teams cannot play a team that they have already faced.  The Danville team will play at 1:00PM at Concordia College.  Some teams have received a bye already and by luck the HOOTS with a win on Saturday could move to the Championship game on Sunday for the berth to the World Series.

HOOTS 8 vs Encinitas Gamers 7:

The HOOTS Connie Mack team stayed alive at the West Regional Championship with a 8-7 win over the Encinitas Gamers and remained undefeated with a record of 3-0.  AJ Puckett took the mound for the HOOTS and threw five strong innings for the HOOTS against a very strong Gamers offense.  Sam Nathan relieved Puckett and after a HOOTS defensive misplay that made the game a one run game in favor of the HOOTS, Dylan Hecht relieved and closed the game with the tying run thrown out at 3rd base on a deep double and outstanding relay from the outfield by Eddie Juarez to Max Dutto for the third out to end the game.  The HOOTS offense keeps finding their way to score and compete against strong pitching performances in the tournament which features some of top college recruited pitchers in the west region.  Tim Susnara and Andre Davis led the offense with run scoring doubles.

Thursday July 26:

HOOTS 3 vs Utah Marshalls 2:

The Danville HOOTS Connie Mack baseball team won their second round game at the Connie Mack West Regional tourament with a 3-2 win over the Utah Marshalls.  The HOOTS remain as one of the 2 teams undefeated of the 10 teams in their effort to be the Best Of The West and the berth in the Connie Mack World Series.  James Carter, SRVHS, started for the HOOTS on the mound and pitched 6 very good innings leaving the game in the seventh inning with the HOOTS slim 1 run margin.  The Marshalls had runners at 1st and 3rd with no outs and the HOOTS holding on to a slim 1 run lead.  Manager Don Johns elected to go to Dylan Hecht, Foothill HS, in this situation.  The hard throwing right hander got a strike out on an attempted bunt situation, struck out the second hitter, and finally got a ground ball to second baseman Daniel Whitney for the third out and advance the HOOTS in the winner bracket final.  "Friday is killer on our side of the bracket, we need to find a way to win in a double header to stay alive.  This HOOTS team has a  goal to reach and they are relentless in their desire to win and return to the World Series. We have several players that were there in 2011, and they remind everyone daily of the terrific experience of playing at the Connie Mack World Series.  It is why we do this, for them to enjoy the trip of their life."  HOOTS Manager Don Johns.

HOOTS 2 vs Colton Knight Hawks 1:

The HOOTS won their opening game at the Connie Mack West Regional Championship with a 2-1 victory over the Colton Knight Hawks from Southern California held at Concordia College in Southern California.  The HOOTS are shooting for a return trip to the Connie Mack World Series to represent the western United States and earn a berth as one of the top 8 national teams in Connie Mack baseball. Domenic Mazza pitched a complete game for the HOOTS in a repeat game from the 2011 West Regional Championships between these two teams.  Colton took an earyl 1-0 lead in the first inning, and later tied by the HOOTS in the third inning on key hits by Jesse Medrano,  David Elzig, and Eddie Juarez.  The HOOTS finally took a lead 2-1 on a sacrafice fly by Max Dutto in the fifth inning.

The HOOTS return to action on Thursday afternoon at 2:00PM.