Kyle Soria of the Bear River Astros lines a pitch for a double in Tuesday night's District 11 Tournament of Champions action at Bear River Little League Park. Soria went 3x3 and drove in four runs to help the Astros pull away from the Forestill Giants, 13-1.

June 24, 2009

Late Burst Lifts Bear River Astros

All season long the Bear River Astros were the team to beat in the Western Nevada County portion of the District 11 major division interlock Little League baseball race.

But Tuesday night in a second round District 11 Tournament of Champions game it took three full innings for the Astros to find their stride.

Once they did, however, there was no looking back as the Astros showed their team hitting and pitching prowess in a 13-1 romp over the ForesthillGiants.

The win moves the Astros to 16-1 overall on the season and pits the Bear River league champions against the Nevada City Dodgers Thursday at 5 p.m. in what shapes up as an attractive semi-final game.

The winner of the Astros-Dodgers contest moves out to Friday's Area II championship game set for 7 p.m. at Bear River.

IIn last night's game, Foresthill pitcher Gio Roberts had the Astros baffled for three frames as he allowed just two runs and fanned eight batters.

However, after Roberts had used up his pitch count, the Astros broke thrugh with heavy hitting from Bret Soloman (4x4), Soria (3x3, 4 RBIs), Hildebrand (2x3, 2 RBIs) and Chance "Bear" Belding (2b, 2 RBIs) to bust the game open in the late going.

Soria, Hildebrand and Tyler Toft teamed on the hill to spice the victory as they combined to allow just two hits and fan 10 batters.

For the Giants, Lucas Gray had a solo home run while Jones Burk added a single.