Cubs rally for title

In a week's time, a field of 56 teams from four divisions playing at three venues, each contending for a coveted district banner, was trimmed down to four tournament winners.

The 2011 Little League District 62 Tournament of Champions came to a close Saturday for Majors, Minor A and Minor B divisions at Marina Park in Huntington Beach and on Monday at Ocean View High for the Junior Division. Emerging as champions were the Seaview Cubs (Majors), Robinwood Warriors (Minor A), Ocean View Rockhounds (Minor B) and Westminster (Juniors).

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Majors Division

"Wow...that was amazing."

Those were the words uttered by Seaview Manager Mike McKenzie just moments after he, his Cubs and coaching staff, had mugged for the camera following another dramatic, come-from-behind victory. This one came Saturday at Robinwood Little League, and it was for all the marbles.

Seaview was on the brink of defeat, this time in the Majors Division title game but staged a two-out rally to score three runs and pull out a 6-5 victory over the Ocean View Dodgers.

McKenzie was caught up in the moment as he celebrated with his players and coaches during the postgame festivities.

"He's been coaching for 10 years, but this is the first time he's taken a team to a Tournament of Champions title game," McKenzie's wife, Diana, said as she watched her husband mix it up with his happy players. "He's had teams in this tournament before, but this is the farthest he's gone. I'm proud of him."

Seaview, which held leads of 1-0 and 2-1, trailed, 5-3, heading into the bottom of the sixth. The Cubs pulled to within 5-4 when John Thomas, who had nine hits in 14 at bats during the tournament, hit a fly ball to shallow right field that scored Brett Bowman. Another fly into shallow right field, this one by Kevin Dorman — who was 10 for 14 in the tournament — brought in Thomas to tie the score.

Christian Bettino, pinch running for Dorman, scored the winning run on an infield throwing error.

Ocean View had taken its first lead in the fifth with its own spirited rally. Brandon Nicholson roped a full-count double into the gap in right-center field that scored two runs to make it a 3-2 game. The Dodgers increased the lead to 4-2 when Nicholson scored on a wild pitch.