MURRIETA -- Aliso Viejo scored a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, taking a 10-9 victory over Tustin Eastern in the first game Saturday of a best-of-three series in the Southern California region Little League All-Star finals.

Winners of the series will move to the Western regional finals (11/12-year-olds) next week. The series is hosted by Murrieta National Little League.

Aliso Viejo took an early 5-0 lead after putting up four in the top of the second.

Justin Fowler got the rally started with a two-out double to left. Steven Harrison then drove in Fowler with a single to left. Brett Sebade later drove in two with a triple.

As it turned out, no lead was safe throughout the night.

Tustin Eastern put up four in their half of the second after two-run homers from Brett Mellon and Nathan Bruno.

The teams traded runs in the third, including a solo homer from Aliso Viejo's Fowler, leaving Aliso Viejo a narrow 6-5 lead going into the bottom of the fourth.

Kyle Molnar hit a solo shot for Tustin Eastern to tie. Later in the bottom of the fourth, Alec Propp and Bobby Teel each drove in runs to give Tustin an 8-6 advantage.

With the bases loaded and just out in the bottom of the fifth, Tustin Eastern managed to scored just one run on Aliso Viejo reliever Calvin Westfall, missing on an opportunity to pad its thin lead.

Tustin Eastern's 9-8 lead held into the top of sixth until Bryce Keeler got the Aliso Viejo offense started with a one-out double to right off the pitcher, Mellon. Later, Aliso Viejo tied the game when a passed ball allowed a runner to score with the bases loaded and Westfall at the plate. Jack Brkich replaced Mellon in relief, giving up a single to Westfall that scored the go-ahead run.

Kenji Teshima, pitching in relief of Aliso Viejo starter Kyle Molnar, allowed runners to reach first and second in the bottom of the sixth but induced a double-play to the end the game.

The teams will meet again tonight at 6 at Murrieta's Los Alamos Hills Sports Park, with Aliso Viejo one win away from advancing to the next round.