BONITA (CNS) - The all-star team from the Bonita-based Sweetwater Valley Little League is two victories away from a berth in the Little League World Series Tuesday, following an 11-2 victory over its counterparts from the Paseo Verde Little League in the West Regional tournament in San Bernardino.
The victory Monday advanced Sweetwater Valley into Thursday's winner's bracket final against the all-star team from the Snow Canyon Little League, the Utah state champion, which defeated the all-star team from Chandler National Little League, the Arizona state champion, 11-1 earlier Monday.
A victory Thursday will put Sweetwater Valley into Saturday's championship game. If Sweetwater Valley loses Thursday, it will get a second chance to play for the championship. Thursday's loser is guaranteed a spot in Friday's elimination bracket final.
Levi Mendez and Nate Nankil each drove in three runs Monday while Antonio Andrade went four-for-four and scored three runs.
Nankil hit a three-run homer in the second inning to give Sweetwater Valley a 5-0 lead.
Isaac Artalejo singled in Ariel Armas, a special pinch-runner for Dante Schmidt with Sweetwater Valley's first run earlier in the inning. Andrade doubled in Nicholas Maldonado, who reached base when he grounded into a force out.
Jacob Baptista homered leading off the third for Sweetwater Valley. Mark Cervantes homered leading off the fourth for Sweetwater Valley, which added a second run in the inning when Walker Lannom grounded into a force to drive in Andrade.
In the fifth, Mendez doubled in Cameron Barbabosa and Andrade, who both singled, increasing Sweetwater Valley's lead to 10-1.
Lannom homered leading off the sixth for Sweetwater Valley's final run.
Paseo Verde, the Nevada state champion, scored once in the second, when Santino Panaro drew a bases-loaded walk, and once in the sixth and final inning, when Josh McLean singled in Panaro, who singled.
Nankil, the second of three Sweetwater Valley pitchers, was credited with the victory, allowing one run and five hits in three innings.
Nankil was the starter in Sunday's tournament-opening 16-9 victory over the Waipio Little League all-star team, but was removed after one-third of an inning, when he was charged with seven runs and allowed five hits.
Sweetwater Valley is 14-0 in its four tournaments.