The Watsonville 14U All-Stars clinched the PONY NorCal Coast Region championship on Tuesday, downing the Santa Cruz All-Stars 8-1 in a game that highlighted the squad’s balanced attack of strong pitching, stout defense and timely hitting.
A Championship Forged in Resilience
What made the victory especially memorable was the team’s ability to overturn a 5-0 hole in their Super Regional opener against the Paso Robles All-Stars, a comeback fueled by steady nerves and clutch swings.
Pitching proved decisive, with a quartet of arms — Andrew Ruiz, Mel Martinez, Andre Diaz and Dante Ponce — combining for a perfect 0.00 earned run average across three tournament games.
Dominant Pitching and Defensive Precision
Behind the plate, catcher Julien Montes threw out six of seven attempted base stealers, underscoring the team’s defensive precision.
At the plate, Dante Ponce went 4-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, while Freddie Deion Martinez earned the win in relief, striking out five batters over three innings.
Coach Moises Leonor, who has guided the group throughout the tournament, repeatedly stressed the mantra of never giving up and riding momentum, a philosophy that seemed to permeate every inning.
The next challenge arrives when the All-Stars travel to face hosts Bel Passi; a victory there will send them to the West Zone Tournament in West Covina and, potentially, to the PONY World Series in Washington, Pennsylvania.