Moorpark Finally Lets Loose in 4-1 Victory

As an easy first-round opponent, Taylorsville, Utah, appeared to be Taylor-made for Moorpark. The team had played only five games against three opponents in reaching the Little League Western Regional--none close to the caliber of Moorpark, the Southern California champion.

But not until Erik Johnson unloaded a long home run with two out in the fifth inning Thursday night did Moorpark take a lead that resulted in a 4-1 victory before 6,200.

Johnson’s homer seemed to loosen a group of Moorpark 12-year-olds who for four innings played as if killer bees were buzzing in their bellies.

“Our guys were all tight,” Manager Hector Garcia said. “I couldn’t figure out what was going on with these guys.”

Moorpark (13-2) played tentative defense in allowing Taylorsville (5-1) a run in the third. But a rally in the fourth tied the score. A walk to Keith Pabers was followed by consecutive singles by David Burckin and Tommy Gunn, Moorpark’s eighth and ninth hitters.

Jeramey Winrow, a 6-foot-1 right-hander with a good curveball, replaced left-hander Jason Price in the fifth for Taylorsville. With one out, Johnson, a 5-9 center fielder, drove a 2-2 curve over the left-field fence to snap the 1-1 tie. The home run was Johnson’s seventh in tournament play.

“I looked for that curve and he hung it over the plate,” Johnson said. “I thought it was just a long popup, but the left fielder never moved, so I knew it was gone.”

The blast sparked Moorpark. Michael Lopez followed with a home run to center, and Matt Davenport, Justin Pizzola and Burckin singled to produce another run.

Aaron Garcia pitched the fifth in relief of Pizzola to get the win. Johnson pitched the sixth to earn a save, striking out the last two hitters.

Pizzola, a right-hander, pitched well with runners on base. Taylorsville stranded five in the first three innings.

Moorpark will play the winner of today’s game between Grand Junction, Colo., and Santa Fe, N.M., on Saturday at 8 p.m.