YOUTH BASEBALL : Thousand Oaks Wins West, Advances to World Series

Shortstop Kevin Howard was three for four with two runs batted in, leading the Thousand Oaks Little League 13-year-old all-stars to a 7-4 victory against Pearl City, Hawaii, in the championship game of the West Regional on Thursday night in San Jose.

Thousand Oaks will face Puerto Rico on Monday in the eight-team World Series in Taylor, Mich.

Thousand Oaks broke a 2-2 tie with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, with the go-ahead run scoring on a single by Jeff Heyne.

Wes Munyon picked up the victory with two innings of relief. Munyon was also two for four with a double and a stolen base. Center fielder Fran Adams had a single and scored two runs.

Howard pitched the final three innings to pick up a save.

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The Westlake Senators’ 14-year-olds beat Hawaii, 7-0, Thursday in the Continental Amateur Baseball Assn. World Series at Dublin, Ohio. The Senators played Kansas later Thursday night.

Ralph Esparza pitched a two-hitter, striking out 11, to lead Westlake. Esparza also hit a home run and two singles. Eddie Loya and Ferman Bentancourt also doubled.

On Wednesday, Jeremy Sugarman pitched a four-hitter in Westlake’s 6-2 victory over St. Louis.

The Senators also lost, 7-1, to Miami in nine innings on Wednesday night. Mike Falco took the loss after Miami scored six runs in the ninth inning.