La Verne's boys of summer hope to be hoisting a sectional flag tonight to go along with their divisional flag!

Behind the four-hit pitching of Nick Miranda, the Upland National 9-10 All-Stars defeated the La Verne 9-10 All-Stars, 3-2 on Tuesday night, forcing a winner-take-all game tonight at Homer Briggs field in Ontario, Calif. Tonight’s winner will advance to the divisional championship hosted by Temple City.

Miranda limited La Verne to singles by Tyson Heaton and Chase Siffert in the second inning, a single by Cody Moderow in the third inning and a double by Sean Powell in the fifth inning.

La Verne, in fact, didn’t get on the board until the top of the fifth inning. Leading off the inning, Josh Obregon reached first via an error. With one out, Powell doubled placing runners on second and third. Trevor Caton grounded out to third to drive in the first run and Powell followed with the La Verne’s second run, racing home from third on a wild pitch to batter Sam Wolfe.

But that was all the offense La Verne could muster.

Meanwhile, Upland National scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Again Miranda was in the middle of the action. He hit a one out double to drive in the game’s first run and scored the game’s second run courtesy of a wild pitch.

His teammate Elijah hit a lead-off homer in the bottom of the fourth, which turned out to be the game winner.

Upland played the perfect game.

“That’s what it takes to beat us,” La Verne Manager John Heaton said, tipping his hat to an Upland squad his team had upended 20-1 on July 15.

Upland actually had fewer hits than La Verne, but it took advantage of a walk and an error in the first inning to seize the early lead it would never relinquish. Starting pitcher Sam Wolfe pitched well for La Verne.

“Sam pitched great, he made just the one mistake not getting ahead of No. 15 who hit the home run but that was hit,” Heaton said. “He pitched great.”

The two teams square off again tonight. Will tonight’s 6:30 p.m. game be a squeaker or a runaway? Nobody knows for sure, but Heaton expects his team to be ready.

“We’re not invincible,” he said. “If we’re going to do something in the next round, this is the type of game we needed to happen. We had to experience this.”

To add a little more bling and sparkle to your summer, stop by Rodeo Jewelers in the Von’s Center in La Verne. Owner Koko Vartanian can customize exactly the right piece perfect for any special occasion or celebration.