The Dream Ends for La Mesa National All-Stars: No Repeat of 1961 Feat

It was 50 years ago that a Little League team featuring La Mesa players last won a national championship. Unfortunately, there will be no repeat to mark the anniversary.

A seven-run second inning capped by a grand slam by Micky Moniak powered Encinitas National Little League team to a 13-3 win over the La Mesa National All-Stars in the Section 6 championship game Wednesday night at 4S Ranch Community Park.

With two victories in three meetings with La Mesa in the five-day, double-elimination tournament, Encinitas advances to the Southern California South Sub-Division tourney, which begins Saturday in Fountain Valley. ENLL will face the other San Diego-area entry, Park View of Chula Vista, in the 5:30 p.m. opener.

The game was scoreless entering the bottom of the second before ENLL was able to reach La Mesa starter Nate Jarvis for three runs, the last on a bases-loaded walk. LNLL coach LB Havird brought in Cody Brown, but Moniak foiled the strategy by hitting his slam to center.

"I was looking to put it in play  and maybe get a couple runs home," said Moniak. "I got my pitch but got under it just a bit, but it had enought to get out."

La Mesa National responded with a three-run third, cutting the lead to 7-3. A sacrifice fly on a sliding catch in center plus a two-run single by Austin Odom gave LMN hope, but it wasn't able to score again off Encinitas pitchers Luke Duncan and Dylan Hadley.

Brandon Bay's solo home run highlighted the five-run fourth for Encinitas, and when the home team pushed across another run in the bottom of the fifth, the game ended due to the 10-run rule.

"We've got some punch in the lineup almost top to bottom," said ENLL coach John Roberts. "All our guys are capable of hitting one out, so opponents can't pitch around us."

The two sub-division winners will play a best-of-three series to determine a Sothern California representative in the West Regionals in San Bernardino, where the field will battle for a berth in next month's Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA.