VIDEO: Encino's Dream Season Ends

Encino Little League was eliminated from Section 2 play Sunday afternoon at El Dorado Little League. Encino (4-2) lost 18-16 to San Marino National.

“This is the best we’ve been in three years. We played really well and won District, but in Sectionals we played well, but it just didn’t go our way,” Josh Perlmutter said.

It was a topsy-turvy game that saw Encino turn a four run deficit into a five run lead in one inning. Trailing 5-1 in the top of the third, Encino’s offense exploded for nine runs including a grand slam by Michael Walsh and three-run shot by Brandon Dieter to take a 10-5 lead.

San Marino would regain the lead in the bottom of the fourth scoring five runs to take a 14-13 advantage, but Encino kept fighting.

Josh Perlmutter tied it up the top of the fifth with a solo home run and belted two more RBI in the top of the sixth to give Encino the 16-14 lead, but it wasn’t meant to be.

“I think we played well today,” Ryan Nahmias said. “I thought we had the game.”

Walsh had five RBI and a home run. Dieter blasted a home run and four RBI. Perlmutter belted a home run and three RBI. Shawn Goosenberg added another home run and two RBI. Sam Gilderman and Grant Berman each had one RBI. Ryan Nahmias and Dieter scored three runs. Berman and Perlmutter scored twice. Noah Levine, Chris Landers, Gilderman and Walsh scored once.

San Marino National loaded the bases and was down to its final strike, but on they hit a walk-off grand slam on the last pitch of Encino’s season.

“We wanted to go out win or lose win 110 percent effort,” Grant Berman said. “I think we mostly did that today and left it all out on the field.”