Swims’ Homer Puts Cypress in Title Game

Matt Swims was only looking to put the ball in play Tuesday when he got the hit of the night at the Little League Western Regional at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino.

Swims delivered a three-run home run in the third inning and pitcher Alex Alba made it stand up by striking out 12 to lead the Cypress Federal Little League all-stars to a 3-2 victory over Murrayhill of Beaverton, Ore.

Cypress meets the winner of tonight’s game between Woodenville West of Washington and Tassajara Valley of Danville at 7 p.m. Thursday in the final. The winner advances to the Little League World Series, which begins Sunday in Williamsport, Pa.

Tassajara forced a second game with previously unbeaten Woodenville West with a 9-2 victory Tuesday.

Cypress had beaten Murrayhill, 15-1, in four innings a week ago, but Tuesday Murrayhill pitcher Darwin Barney gave up five hits and struck out six. Only five balls were hit out of the infield. He made only one bad pitch, a belt-high fastball to Swims with two on in the top of the third inning. Swims deposited the 230-foot shot on top of the blue outfield tents behind left-center field.

“I was just looking to hit the ball somewhere,” Swims said.

Murrayhill made it 3-2 on Cameron Vickers’ two-run home run that just cleared the fence in the bottom of the third. After that, Alba gave up only a two-out single to center field by Robbie Summers in the sixth.

About the only drama came in the bottom of the fifth, when Barney lifted a towering fly ball to left center that sent outfielder Pat Cassa to the warning track.

Cypress Manager Greg Novy said the team played “flat,” other than Alba’s performance.

“The way we were hitting the ball in batting practice I thought we’d come out here and really have a good night,” he said. “I don’t know what we’re going to do to get our hitting back.”

Alba, who got the win the first time the teams played, faced 23 batters, five over the minimum.

Notes

Carlton E. Magee, director of the Little League Western Regional, was revived Thursday evening after he collapsed in the stands behind home plate during the Tassajara Valley (Calif.)-Woodenville West (Wash.) game. Magee, 62, who has a history of heart problems, was revived by paramedics after about five minutes with two jolts of a defibrillator. He appeared coherent, speaking briefly with Little League personnel, before being taken to San Bernardino Community Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.