Northridge Rides Dunlap to Another World Series

Nathaniel Dunlap threw a six-hitter and Peter Tuber, Spencer Gordon and Mike Frost each had two hits as the Northridge Little League 13-year-old all-star team defeated Oak Grove of San Jose, 7-1, in the championship game of the Junior Western Regional tournament Friday night at American River College in Sacramento.

With the victory, Northridge (16-2) advanced to the Junior World Series in Taylor, Mich. The eight-team tournament starts Monday.

It is the second year in a row that Northridge has advanced to a world series. Last year’s team won the 12-year-old national championship before losing to Venezuela, 4-3, in the championship game at Williamsport, Pa.

“This is just as good as last year. This is great,” said Dunlap, one of 10 returning players from last year’s championship team.

Dunlap (5-0) pitched a two-hitter through six innings, but Oak Grove had four singles in the seventh to score a run and load the bases with one out. Dunlap struck out Javier Millan to record the second out and got Brandon McDonough to pop up to end the game.

Tuber drove in one run and scored three runs for Northridge and Frost had two RBIs and scored a run.

Gordon scored a run, stole a base and robbed an Oak Grove batter of an extra-base hit in the sixth with a diving catch in center field.

Northridge’s victory avenged a 8-1 loss to Oak Grove on Thursday.