RIVALRY CONTINUES FOR MAJORS TITLE - Marin Independent Journal

LITTLE LEAGUE

RIVALRY CONTINUES FOR MAJORS TITLE

Novato North forces a decisive game against Twin Cities on Sunday

Novato North’s Gabe Oliveros pitches to Twin Cities batters in the Little League Majors championship on Saturday in Larkspur. PHOTOS BY FRANKIE FROST — SPECIAL TO THE MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL

Twin Cities’ Levi Pollard fields the ball against Novato North in the Little League Majors championship on Saturday.

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By Derek Wilson

dewilson@marinij.com

The rivalry that has taken root on the Little League fields in recent years is just too good to end quickly.

A two-run double by Aidan Capurro in the top of the fifth inning on Saturday gave Novato Little League North a 3-1 victory over Twin Cities at Joe Wagner Field in Larkspur and forced a winner-take-all showdown Sunday for the District 3 Majors pennant.

“This is the way this series has gone over the last four years. This is the way it should finish,” Novato manager Eric VonBehren said. “We’ve met Twin Cities in the championship all four years leading up to this.”

Novato North got on the board in the top of the first inning. Ian Bowman hit a two-out double to left field, then ran with no brakes to score on a single from Enzo Martinelli, who ended up on third on the throw to home plate.

Twin Cities evened the score when Wyatt Schaefer scored from second on a single by Brady Stone in the bottom of the first inning.

The game then turned into a pitchers’ duel as Novato’s Gabe Oliveros went five innings for the win with four hits, striking out five batters and walking three. Kingston Jepma pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning for Novato.

“I had total confidence in (Oliveros),” VonBehren said. “He went a full 88 pitches. He did a great job.”

Twin Cities’ ace Jack Meyer went the distance as he gave up eight hits while he struck out four batters and walked none.

“This is my first time in the championship so this is exciting,” Oliveros said.

Brady VonBehren got Novato going in the fifth inning with a one-out single to the right side of the mound, followed by a double from Atreyu Jacobs. VonBehren started to round third and might have scored on Jacobs’ hit, but stopped. Capurro wasted little time driving in the winning runs as he turned on the second pitch he saw.

Jepma doubled in the second inning for Novato, which also got hits from Connor McCarthy and Liam Healy.

Schaefer and Stone had two hits apiece for Twin Cities, which posted a 4-2 victory against Novato North in winners’ bracket play last Sunday.

“This is the way it was meant to be,” Twin Cities manager Ted Meyer said. “Two teams playing all the way to the end in one decisive game. Both teams are glad the district changed the format to double elimination, I think.”