District 65: Orcutt Nationwide cruises to title, topping Northside 10-2 | San Luis Obispo

The Orcutt National District 65 masterful run is complete.

With a 10-2 win over Santa Maria Northside, the Little League All-Star Team from Orcutt won the district championship to top off their dominant run through the 12-year tournament.

Orcutt National won its first District 65 championship title since the league won three straight games from 2009 to 2011 and ended a 10-year drought with victory Tuesday night at the Nipomo Little League home ground in Nipomo Community Park.

Orcutt relied on pitching to dominate his opponents in an undefeated run of four games. Orcutt National allowed only three runs in the tournament, beating their opponents 36-3.

Carter Anaya started on the hill for Orcutt National and was solid again, beating eight batter in 4 1/3 innings. Anaya had previously thrown seven innings in the tournament and came into play with 16 strikeouts in the district game.

Max O’Keefe struck, relieved, and hit three thugs.

Santa Maria Northside were clearly the second best team in the tournament, with both losses attributable to this Orcutt national team. Northside lost to Orcutt National 3-0 in their first tournament game last week and won three playoffs in a row, defeating Santa Maria Westside 10-0, Orcutt American 8-3 and Lompoc 8-7 on Monday night.

Although Orcutt National won by eight runs, the game was a sticking point in the first half.

Northside starter Ivan Enriquez was a bulldog on the hill. He threw 32 pitches in the first inning, but got a strikeout with loaded bases to get out of the jam without allowing a run.

Northside then loaded the bases in the middle of the first inning, but Anaya got a strikeout and pop-out to end the threat and keep the game goalless.

Anaya then helped on the second of his own, reaching base with a single and eventually scoring a base hit by Ashton Bluem to give Orcutt National a head start it wouldn’t give up.

Enriquez was given a line-up to end the inning and strand two more national runners.

Neither team scored in the third inning as Northside kept a one-run game. Then Orcutt National broke up with a fourth four-run inning.

Max Anderson sporadically to the left with an out. Northside then got a second out on a ground ball to second base. But Lucas Woodruff followed midfield with a singles to meet Anderson.

Northside then made a pitching change with two runners and Kamron Walker coming on the plate. Walker then punched a homer into midfield just out of reach for midfielder Konner Galaites, giving Orcutt National a 5-0 lead over three innings.

Anaya worked about three steps down the bottom of the fourth, recording a pair of strikeouts, including one that ended the inning with bases loaded.

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O’Keefe then added Orcutt National’s lead with a solo homer to lead the fifth inning.

Northside wasn’t going quietly anyway. Anaya got a strikeout on his 91st field and was replaced in the lower third by Max O’Keefe.

Izaiah Garcia brought his team to the left on the scoreboard with a well-placed opposing double, scoring David Cortez III and Andrew Rice in the process.

O’Keefe fought his way back, knocking out the next two clubs to end the inning and strand Garcia in third.

Orcutt National then put the game in the top of the sixth with four runs. Mason Majewski, a star pitcher and catcher, doubled up on Home Bluem.

Walker then drove Majewski to his fourth RBI of the night. O’Keefe then defeated Walker and Nolan Roberts to bet 10-2.

Northside still had some fighting in the lower part of the sixth. With two outs, Ivan Enriquez and Cortez went single. Galaites then selected to load the bases, but O’Keefe struck one last better way to end the game and award Orcutt National its first District 65 title since 2011.

The Orcutt National Mets, led by Matt Majewski, the manager of that Orcutt national team, also won the Santa Maria Valley Championship with a win over the Northside A’s, led by Northside’s Willie Milner.

The Orcutt National roster includes Bluem, Woodruff, Majewski, Walker, Roberts, Galaites, Anderson, Anaya, Hunter Arebalo, Rueben Hernandez, Brayden Rodriguez and Joe Velazquez.

The Northside list included Garcia, Enriquez, Cortez, Galaites, Rice, Ethan Resendez, Kyle Milner, Julian Valdez, Israel Rocha, Casden Martinez and Mario Nevarez. The team was led by Willie Milner and David Raynes.

Lompoc Little League, the 2019 district winner, was the youngest District 65 champion after the 2020 tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Northside won the title in 2018 after Westside won in 2017. Northside won another district title in 2016 after Orcutt American won in 2015. Northside won the title in 2014 after Southside won in 2013. Arroyo Grande won the District 65 Championship in 2012. That came after Orcutt National won three straight wins from 2009 to 2011.

Northside won in 2008 and Orcutt National took another title in 2007.

Now the team is preparing for the Section One tournament. This tournament will take place July 17-21 in Thousand Oaks. Orcutt National, the District 65 champion, will play against the District 63 champion on July 17 at 11 a.m. to open Section One’s game

Photos: Orcutt National wins District 65 Championship