Thousand Oaks Blows Past Taiwan, Delaware

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Productive hitting, stellar defense, solid pitching--Thousand Oaks has done almost everything right in winning its first two games at the Little League Senior World Series.

Thousand Oaks resumed its rain-delayed opener Tuesday, shutting out Tai-Nan City, Taiwan, 6-0, and finished the day by beating Midway, Delaware, 8-0, to remain one of two unbeaten teams in the nine-team international tournament for 14- and 15-year-olds.

Thousand Oaks plays Maracaibo, Venezuela, which beat Mobile, Ala., 2-1, Tuesday, in a semifinal game today at 4:30 p.m. (PST). Thousand Oaks needs two more victories to capture the 1996 Senior title.

“Everything is playing out as planned,” said Thousand Oaks Manager Ed Kitchen said. “We feel very confident, right on the edge of overconfidence.”

Thousands Oaks resumed play against Taiwan on Tuesday leading, 5-0, with with one out and runners at first and third in the bottom of the fourth inning. A groundout by Fran Adams scored Chris Cordeiro to complete Thousand Oaks’ four-run fourth inning.

Cordeiro (3-0) allowed only five singles, four of them in the final three innings. He struck out three and walked none.

“My fastball wasn’t working well but I was able to get the curve over,” Cordeiro said. “The defense, especially the outfield, made a lot of great plays.”

Tai-Nan City Coach Huang Ming-Chuan said his team struggled with Cordeiro’s curveballs.

“We don’t see many breaking ball pitchers at this age level [in Taiwan],” Ming-Chuan said.

Against Delaware, Thousand Oaks scored once in the second when Wes Munyon doubled home Doug Hutton, then broke the game open with two runs in the fourth and five more in the fifth.

Hutton and Munyon each finished with two hits. The pair are a combined 10 for 10 with four doubles, two triples and six RBIs in the tournament.

Chris Strauser (7-0) allowed four singles while striking out two and walking four.

Thousand Oaks 6, Tai-Nan City, Taiwan 0

Taiwan: 000 000 0 -- 0 5 1

Thousand Oaks: 020 400 x -- 6 9 3

Hung and Wang; Cordeiro and Hutton.

W--Cordeiro (3-0). L--Hung (2-1).

2B: TO--Munyon, Hutton, Ayers. 3B:TO--Munyon.

Records: Tai-Nan City, Taiwan 12-1; Thousand Oaks 16-0.

*

Thousand Oaks 8, Midway, Delaware 0

Delaware: 000 000 0 -- 0 4 1

Thousand Oaks: 010 250 x -- 8 9 0

Harden, Underwood (5), Warren (6) and Argiroudis; Strauser and Hutton.

W--Strauser (7-0). L--Harden (6-1).

2B: D--Hudock; TO--Munyon, Hutton. 3B:TO--Munyon.

Records: Midway, Delaware 14-3; Thousand Oaks 17-0.