La Verne 12-Year-Old Stars Flash the Redman, White and Blue

Kurtis Redman was one of the many stars lighting up the baseball field for La Verne.

The La Verne 12-year-old all stars didn’t wait for Independence Day to put on their own fireworks spectacular, exploding for 17 runs in five innings to defeat Glendora American, 17-6, on Thursday night at Pelota Park in La Verne.

Appropriately enough, it was Kurtis (Red, White and Blue) Redman who led the hit parade, going four-for-four, including two doubles and three RBIs.

If you remember, in the opening of the game of the tournament, La Verne scored 10 runs in the last inning of its come-from-behind victory over Ted Green. Well, the boys never cooled off. In the bottom of the first, La Verne scored seven runs on five hits and a pair of walks. After Hunter Korn walked to lead off, Nick Lodolo laced a two-strike double into left. Then Brogan White drove in both runners with a single.  Also collecting RBIs in the inning were Matt Jones, Eric Castruita and Redman.

Somewhere in this pile is Nick Rodriguez who blasted a two-run homer.

In the second inning, Glendora American changed pitchers, but the fireworks continued nonetheless. Cole Sojka led off with a home run and after an infield single by Alex Gonzalez and a ground out by Cameron Muyres, Nick Rodriguez lined a two-run homer.

Meanwhile on the mound, starter Brogan White was sailing along. The Broganator struck out the side in the second inning.

In the top of the third, La Verne went up 14-0. After Lodolo got aboard via an error, White hit a one-run single, Sojka singled, Gonzalez singled, Jones had an RBI double, Castruita knocked in another run with a sacrifice fly, Wollard singled and Redman singled in another run.

Glendora, however, answered with three in the bottom of the third and three again in the bottom of the fourth. In fact, Glendora was in danger of having the game called at the end of four innings and was down to its last out when the American’s Tyler Layto blasted a three-run homer to prolong the contest.

La Verne relief pitcher helped hold down the fort.

Not wishing to see the same kind of comeback that it had pulled off in its first game, La Verne tacked on three more insurancne runs in the top of the fifth. In the inning, Rodriguez singled, Redman doubled, Korn walked and Lodolo singled. Wollard was robbed of a hit by actually hitting the ball too hard to the centerfielder, who was able to force the runner at second.

If La Verne had any blemishes in this game, it might have been the P.A. system. The music that normally greets each player as he strides to the plate didn’t always cut off on cue. The music malfunction might just become a metaphor for this special team (You can’t stop La Verne and “You Can’t Stop the Music.”)

“Before the game, we talked about let’s keep this thing going, and they did,” said Manager Larry Redman. “A lot of times, you have a big inning, and then you kind of let up. That didn’t happen. I was real proud of our kids. It was very impressive.”

Redman said he’s going to give the kids a couple of days off from practice. No doubt they’re weary from furiously swinging the bats these past days, but fans likely will see them in the Fourth of July parade in La Verne waving to the crowd and receiving salutes in return for their great play.

La Verne returns to Pelota Park July 9.

Moments after the game, the team assembled around the mound for some post-game critiques.

For a great real estate team, call Century 21 Marty Rodriguez

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