AMERICAN LEGION: POOR STARTS DOOMED T.O. IN YOUNTVILLE.

Byline: Rich Hammond Staff Writer

If not for the first inning, the Thousand Oaks 17-and-under American Legion team would likely still be enjoying the Napa Valley.

One day after giving up three first-inning runs in a second-round loss to Los Banos, the Thousand Oaks team was eliminated from the State Championships in Yountville with a 2-0 loss to Concord.

Concord scored two runs in the first inning off pitcher Greg Simonetti, taking advantage of a walk and a passed ball. Simonetti allowed only three hits over the next six innings while striking out five and walking two, but Thousand Oaks totaled only three hits.

In the fifth inning, Billy Lockin had a bunt single and Adam Levitt singled, but Thousand Oaks stranded them on second and third in their best scoring chance of the game.

Thousand Oaks would have had to win again on Monday, but the loss to Concord dropped them from the double-elimination tournament.

On Sunday, Thousand Oaks committed three errors in the first inning and lost to Los Banos 6-4 to fall into the loser's bracket.

Thousand Oaks starter Tracy Goebel allowed three runs in the first inning but settled down. Goebel gave up nine hits and six walks in five innings, and Dylan Baum pitched two shutout innings.

Baum entered in the sixth with runners on first and second and no outs, but induced a fly out and a double play to get Thousand Oaks out of the inning.

Carl Larson had three hits in the loss for Thousand Oaks.

Thousand Oaks started the tournament Friday with a 7-3 victory over Concord. Chris Cordeiro, who flew back to Southern California on Sunday to participate in this week's Area Code Games in Long Beach, pitched a complete game and struck out 11 against Concord.

Simonetti hit his first home run of the summer, Levitt doubled twice and Ryan Fitzgerald had three hits for Thousand Oaks.