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Wednesday, August 22
Bunt early and often



SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- A bit of advice for the Little League team from Oceanside, Calif., that will face an outstanding young pitcher.

Bunt early, and bunt often.

Oceanside (2-1) meets the Rolando Paulino (3-0) team from the Bronx, N.Y., in the U.S. semifinals of the Little League World Series Thursday.

Pitching for the Bronx will be Danny Almonte, the hard-throwing left-hander who threw a perfect game in the opener against Apopka, Fla., and who hasn't given up a run all year.

So how do you play a team that has thrown two shutouts in three games? With its ace on the mound?

"If that left-hander's pitching, I'd be bunting right away, except maybe your top couple players," said Matt Kolar, manager of Davenport (Iowa) East, the only team so far to score on the Bronx.

Davenport didn't face Almonte, who threw a no-hitter in the regional final, and struck out 16 against Apopka in the first perfect game at the Little League World Series in 44 years. Amonte's pitches have been clocked at more than 70 mph.

Bunting is a strategy that didn't work for Apopka. In the sixth inning, after its first 15 batters had struck out, two Apopka batters bunted in a last-ditch effort to get on base, but both were thrown out.

"We just have to be patient, make him throw strikes," Oceanside coach Matt Cerda.

Even if they hit against Almonte, Oceanside will have to face one of the best defenses in the series. The Bronx players are quick, smart and unafraid to take chances. In their last game, a 5-0 win against Bainbridge Island, Wash., the defense preserved the shutout with some soild play.

Still, even with Almonte on the mound, Cerda said he doesn't expect his team to bunt any more than usual.

"I don't know if bunting is an answer," Cerda said. "I think a lot of people are bunting because they don't want 17 or 18 strikeouts against them. We didn't come here bunting. We came here swinging."

That's something Oceanside has done well. The team is averaging .333, with five batters at .500 or better.

"They all can bat," said Bronx manager Alberto Gonzalez, who calls Oceanside perhaps the best team in the series. "They've got great pitching, they've got great defense."

And they're not afraid of the Bronx -- at least they say they aren't. Johnny Jimenez, who is batting .400 for Oceanside, said they're even looking forward to facing Almonte.

"We'd rather face their ace than their second, because we'd rather beat their ace," Jimenez said. "We're good fastball hitters."

 




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