Encinitas Little League eliminated from World Series

The Mountain View Little League team from Nevada beat the Encinitas Little League team 5-1 this afternoon in a West Regional semifinal, eliminating the team from San Diego County.

Encinitas lost to Mountain Ridge, 8-4, on Wednesday, in a game with little at stake.

Encinitas entered the game assured of playing in the semifinal matching the second- and third-place finishers in pool play.

The only way Mountain Ridge could have been assured of finishing first in pool play was by defeating Encinitas and allowing two runs or less. The tie-breaking criteria for teams that did not meet in pool play is fewest runs allowed.

Encinitas was 2-2 in pool play, finishing third in the six-team field of champions from Southern California, Northern California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah.

Mountain View was 4-0, tying the all-star team from the Honolulu Little League for first, but Honolulu was designated as the No. 1 team for the semifinals because it allowed one fewer run than Mountain View.

The Encinitas-Mountain Ridge semifinal will be shown live by ESPN2 beginning at 2 p.m. A watch party will be held at Oggi’s Pizza and Brewing, 305 Encinitas Blvd.

The Encinitas-Mountain Ridge winner will face the winner of today’s second semifinal between Honolulu and the all-star team from the Pacifica American Little League, the Northern California champion. Honolulu defeated Pacifica, 10-5 in a pool play game last Friday.

The semifinal winners will meet in the tournament championship game Saturday, with the winner advancing to the Little League World Series, which is played in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.