Encino Little League has new bragging rights. The league's 10 and 11-year-old team, in a substantial win, claimed the Section 2 championship title Tuesday.
At a game in Sherman Oaks, the team scored 12 to San Marino's 1, causing the game to be called in the fourth inning when the lopsided score caused a 10-run mercy rule to be applied. A normal game at this level runs for six innings; however, Little League rules call for the game to end if the winning team is ahead by 10 runs after four innings.
Coach Rodney Peete attributed the win partially to the players' history of playing together.
"They've played together for a long, long time," he said. "Some began when they were 6 or 7."
Though the players aren't quite old enough to advance to the 11-12 year old's Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA, Peete believes the players' success so far bodes well for next year.
"All the teams that do go to Williamsport seem to have a good run the year before. This is our good run and we'll be ready for next year," he said.
