The Sedona all-stars baseball team [ages 11-12] won a wild one in its opener against the Prescott South all-stars at Mountain Valley Park in Prescott on Friday, July 6.

The Sedona all-stars baseball team [ages 11-12] won a wild one in its opener against the Prescott South all-stars at Mountain Valley Park in Prescott on Friday, July 6.

Thirty total runs were scored between the two teams, as Sedona came out on top 17-13.

The win advances Sedona to the second round of the 2007 Little League District 10 championship tournament.

Sedona started off slow, giving up five runs in the top of the first inning to go down 5-0.

Starting pitcher Jose Saucedo couldn’t find his rhythm, and the defense

couldn’t find first base on a throw, as they committed two errors.

Saucedo ended up pitching three innings, allowing 10 hits and striking out four Prescott South batters.

He also gave up 11 runs, five of which were unearned.

What was most impressive is that he did not walk a batter, something that does not happen often, especially since he gave up 11 runs.

“I couldn’t believe he didn’t walk anyone. Our defense

really struggled, but we’ll take it any way we can get it,” Sedona Manager Mike Mieske said.

The Sedona offense would answer the five-run top of the first with three of their own in the bottom of the first.

They would continue the offensive onslaught with three more in the second inning, seven in the third, three in the fourth and one more in the fifth.

Saucedo, despite his troubles on the mound, didn’t carry it over at the dish, going 3-3 with a walk and five runs batted in.

First baseman Russell Mieske was just as impressive, going 5-5 with a double, three runs scored and two runs batted in.

Shortstop Gerardo Delgado got in on the action as well, going 2-2 with two walks, four runs scored and three runs batted in.

“We hit everything in sight, and we needed to because we gave up so many runs,” Mike Mieske said.

Sedona pitcher Jack Johnson made a relief appearance in the top of the fifth and sixth innings, and what a relief appearance it was.

Johnson would come in and strike out seven batters while throwing two shut-out innings to slam the door on Prescott South.

Johnson actually didn’t even show up until late in the fourth inning.

“Jack [Johnson] was in Wisconsin on vacation. His family did everything they could to get him here on time,” Mike Mieske said.

“I was worried about him being mentally and physically ready more than anything else,” he added.

With the comeback victory, Sedona played the Verde Valley all-stars on Monday, July 9, in second-round action.

“To be down five nothing right away, and then to come back like we did, it just shows what these boys are made of,” Mieske said.

Results were not available at press time.