Maracaibo Puts End to 17-Game Win Skein

Thousand Oaks will have to take the championship buggy off cruise control if it is to win Little League Baseball’s 35th Senior World Series.

Undefeated Maracaibo, Venezuela ended previously unbeaten Thousand Oaks’ victory string of 17 with a 3-0 shutout Wednesday night at Osceola County Stadium.

The loss puts Thousand Oaks into the losers’ bracket against Maumee, Ohio today at 5 p.m. Instead of being one victory away from its second championship in three years, Thousand Oaks needs to win four games in a row.

“Our defense let us down and we weren’t focused,” Thousand Oaks assistant coach Mark Davis said.

Maracaibo pitcher Nohomar Corona (7-0) celebrated his 16th birthday by striking out nine, walking five and allowing four hits. Thousand Oaks (17-1 in postseason play) committed five errors.

Two throwing errors by pitcher Ryan Ayers helped Maracaibo build a 3-0 lead. His overthrow to first baseman Jonathan Shepard allowed Wilmer Villalba and Corona to score in a three-run second inning.

“We haven’t made five errors in any [other tournament] games we’ve played,” Thousand Oaks Manager Ed Kitchen said. “We’ll come back. I know these kids. We’re going to come back and win this whole thing.”

Thousand Oaks didn’t challenge until the fifth, when Shepard led off with a walk and went to third on an errant relay after a flyout by Brian Jacobsen.

But after Matt Rogers walked, pinch-hitter Kris Palomares struck out and Jesse Siebers grounded out to end the inning.

“We knew Thousand Oaks was a great hitting team, but the old baseball cliche remains very true,” Maracaibo Manager Luis Fuenmayer said. “Good pitching beats good hitting.”

Maracaibo 3, Thousand Oaks 0

Maracaibo: 030 000 0 -- 3 6 1

Thousand Oaks: 000 000 0 -- 0 4 5

Corona and Quiroz; Ayers and Hutton.

W--Corona. L--Ayers.

Records: Maracaibo 17-0; Thousand Oaks 17-1.