LITTLE LEAGUE: Vista National uses 10-run inning to advance

Team will play Magnolia Riverside on Sunday night

By MATT NULL - Staff Writer | Saturday, July 19, 2008 9:31 PM PDT ∞

MURRIETA ---- Pat Priest is the tallest player on the Vista National Little League All-Star team. So naturally, when he steps up to the plate, the opposing team's fielders take a few steps back.

That proved to be a big mistake on Saturday as Priest laid down a bunt single to score the eventual winning run as Vista National went on to score 10 runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to beat Ken Hubbs Memorial of Colton 12-3 in the opening game of the Southern California South Sub-Divisional at Los Alamos Sports Park.

Vista National will put its nine-game winning streak on the line as it plays Magnolia Center of Riverside at 7 tonight at Los Alamos.

Priest wanted a chance to swing the bat with runners on second and third, but coach Scott Houk had other ideas for Priest's first at-bat of the game.

"At first I thought, 'I want to swing,' but then I thought maybe I should just lay down the bunt," said Priest, who stands 6-feet-1, "because coach told me and I sort of have to (for us) to win the game."

It wasn't the first time Priest laid down a perfect bunt.

"In sectionals, Pat laid down a perfect bunt the same way and the same thing happened," Houk said. "And when Pat is up to bat, they see his height and everybody scoots back, saying to themselves, 'This is a big hitter' and when he turns around and hits a perfect bunt, they are all on their heels and surprised."

It was after Priest's at-bat that the Vista National bats came alive. During the bottom of the fifth inning, 13 batters came to the plate, with 10 runs scoring on eight hits. Billy Roth had two hits in the inning with two RBIs and Justin Ennis hit a two-run home run to cap off the inning. Other hitters that performed well for Vista National were Jon Cebreros, who went 2-for-2, and Austin Ott, Anthony Pallonetti and Chad Woolsy, who each went 1-for-2 with an RBI.

Houk was happy with the way his team fought back.

"We kept telling them there is a lot of game left and it's a close game, so lets just keep focused," Houk said. "And they ended up coming through."

The Vista National offense helped out starting pitcher Jake Brynie, who left the game after five innings with his team trailing by one run. Brynie struck out eight batters and walked none and also went 2-for-3 at the plate.

But the day didn't start well for Brynie, as he gave up three runs in the first two innings and eight hits over the first three.

"All of my games have been like that," Brynie said. "I have to settle in."

Houk was happy to see his pitcher rebound.

"He had a couple of tough innings," Houk said. "I figured he went all the way through five innings and ran out of pitches and that is great. He is pitching great, throwing a lot of strikes and the defense helped."

Contact staff writer Matt Null at mnull@nctimes.com.