Yorba Hills Wins, Advances to World Series : Little League: Robertson’s home run in the eighth gives Yorba Linda team 4-2 victory and trip to Williamsport, Pa.

Nash Robertson sat quietly in the corner of the third base dugout at the Western Regional Little League Baseball final Friday night staring at pitcher John Roberts.

Roberts, the Petaluma Valley pitcher, had the slumping Robertson on a string all night, getting him to ground out in his first three at-bats.

But Robertson, the third baseman from Yorba Hills Little League of Yorba Linda, noticed something before he stepped to the plate with one out and a runner on first base in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Then he deposited a curve ball over the scoreboard in right-center field at Al Houghton Stadium to lead Yorba Hills to a dramatic, 4-2 victory in the 25th Western Regional.

The extra-inning game was the third in regional history and the first to go eight innings. Little League games are six innings long.

Yorba Hills (21-2) advances to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., and will play Monday against an opponent from the Central United States at 5 p.m. (PST) at Lamade Stadium.

When the ball left the bat, Robertson knew it was gone. He raised his hands above his head as it sailed out of the stadium and was mobbed by teammates at the plate.

“The first two times up he got me on curve balls outside,” Robertson said. “So I was waiting.”

Yorba Hills Coach Bill Rooney said coaches had changed Robertson’s stance for the game, because he had struggled at the plate. Robertson was batting .300 in the series, but he had struck out four times and was 1 for 10 when he stepped to the plate in the eighth.

“In a title game like this, someone always steps up for you,” Rooney said.

Yorba Hills took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on home runs by Mike Watson and David Nicholson.

Pitcher A.J. Shappi was cruising along on a one-hitter, but in the fifth inning, Mark Rappa hit a towering two-run home run to center field.

Neither team threatened again until the eighth. Petaluma got two runners aboard with two out in the top of the eighth, but shortstop Greg Bridges lined out to left field.

“I knew that my offense could come through so it gave me confidence,” Shappi said.

Mixing off-speed pitches with a spotty fastball, Shappi struck out eight and gave up five hits.

Roberts was equally effective, striking out seven, while giving up seven hits.