San Marino outlasts fired-up Burbank

San Marino National thought the umpires were great in Sunday’s Little League Junior Baseball All-Stars Section 2 second-round game.

Burbank wholeheartedly disagreed.

While San Marino National was left satisfied with the judgment calls of the umpires and ultimately the result of the game, Burbank was left fuming.

After Burbank Coach Mike Lockheimer and his son Conner Lockheimer, one of the District 16 champs’ top players, were ejected in the bottom of the seventh inning during a tie game, San Marino National’s JT McDonnell scored on an error by the catcher, allowing the District 17 representatives to come away with a 7-6 victory in eight innings at Northridge Little League fields.

San Marino National will next play in the title game at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Northridge. Burbank will play in a second-chance bracket game at 5 p.m. Monday at Northridge.

Burbank will have to play without its coach and his son, who must serve a mandatory one-game suspension for being ejected.

Burbank assistant Jim Noud did not want to discuss the umpires or the ejection.

“I can’t say what I want to say,” he said. “I have to move on.”

San Marino National moved on despite blowing a 6-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Tanner Whitlock, Tony Argenziano, Ash Hawkins, and Garrett Dolan each scored in the frame for Burbank, with Whitlock and Argenziano each scoring on Fischer Cabot’s fly ball that was misplayed by the right fielder. The misplay allowed the score to be tied, but the thrills were far from over.

The exciting contest continued to the eighth inning when Burbank flew out with the bases loaded.

Moments earlier, Mike Lockheimer was tossed after Connor was caught attempting to steal second base.

San Marino National Coach Mack Paciorek did not have an issue with the call.

“I thought it was fine,” he said. “I thought the umpires did a great job.”

San Marino National kept its composure in the eighth and won without registering a hit.

McDonnell walked to start the inning and stole second. He took off for third a pitch later and the catcher’s throw sailed to left field, allowing McDonnell to trot home.

“It’s a composure game at that point,” Paciorek said. “Our guys did a great job staying composed.”

They were led by JP Shohfi and Carson Glazen.

Shohfi scored three runs and had two hits, and Glazen had two runs and a pair of hits. Tino Mase also scored for San Marino National.

“San Marino is a great team,” Noud said. “We’re hoping to play them again on Tuesday.”