CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — National won the Little League Major baseball District 23 championship 10-0 over Oilbelt on Thursday at the Laguna Fields. National scored 9 of their runs in the first two innings.
"It was just amazing and after the first two innings our dugout was really loud," Lawson McFarland, National infielder and outfielder, said. "I knew we were winning just by how excited we were."
A strong defensive performance shutout Oilbelt, and it was first baseman Jake Ryan Leal who fielded the final out of the game.
"Fun, I was scared a little bit because I didn't think I was going to be able to stop it, but then I stopped it and stepped on first base and we won," Jake Ryan Leal, National first baseman, said.
National ended the game with 9 hits in 19 at-bats, while only striking out 3 times.
"Our bats were really going right today," Jaxen Sandoval, National center fielder, said. "We had a lot of hits."
Nationals' starting pitcher lasted the full four innings, dealing 4 strikeouts and walking 3 batters while allowing 3 hits.
"The grip was kind of off with the ball today, but overall my arm was feeling good," Brian Villeroel, National pitcher and shortstop, said. "The catcher backing me up."
The Major division sectionals are set for Friday, June 30 in Alice.
