Cypress Rallies for Return Trip

It wasn’t one of his better hits, Matt Swims said, but he’ll take it.

For the second consecutive game, Swims delivered in the clutch for Cypress Federal Little League, lifting a fastball off the end of his aluminum bat beyond the right field fence for a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning that completed a dramatic 3-1 victory over Woodinville West, Wash., Thursday in the championship game at the Little League Western Regional in San Bernardino.

Cypress advanced to the Little League World Series, which begins Sunday in Williamsport, Pa. The Federal League is the fourth all-star team from Orange County in this decade to qualify for the World Series, and the first from the county to return. They’ll open at 5 p.m. Monday against Toms River of New Jersey.

Cypress also qualified in 1990 but was knocked out in the second round.

It was only the fourth extra-inning game in the 49-year history of the regional. In 1995, Yorba Hills of Yorba Linda won, 4-2, in eight innings over Petaluma.

Swims, who delivered a three-run home run in a 3-1 semifinal victory over Beaverton, Ore., said he was just trying to put the ball in play.

“It went over the fence. It won the game. It did the job,” he said.

Swims was the winning pitcher, striking out nine. He did not allow an earned run and walked only three.

Cypress (17-0) hit nine home runs in winning five regional games, but was lucky to advance, Coach Greg Novy said. Cypress, which has struggled offensively in its last three games, trailed, 1-0, with two out in the bottom of the sixth, and final, regulation inning when Bryan Pepperdine bounced a single through the hole between third and short.

Zach Wesley then drove the ball to the right-center field wall and Cypress third base coach Dave Campbell never hesitated, sending Pepperdine to the plate with the tying run on Wesley’s double that brought the crowd of 9,500 to its feet.

“No way was I going to stop him,” Campbell said. “We were not hitting the ball well. I figured we’d go down trying.”

Woodinville (14-2) got its controversial run in the top of the third inning.

Swims, the starting pitcher, hit Woodinville’s Hans Stolz. Darren Pohl struck out looking, but Cory Nicol singled up the middle. Matt Tuiasosopo, son of former UCLA football standout Manu Tuiasosopo, hit a soft grounder to the left of second baseman Cory Campbell and Campbell didn’t get to the ball in time. It rolled into the outfield as Stole rounded third base.

Right-fielder Trevor Rice’s throw arrived at home plate as Stolz went into his slide. Stolz went under the tag applied by catcher Pepperdine, but appeared to stop short of the plate as Pepperdine applied the tag. But umpire Jaime Perez ruled Stolz safe.

The Schedule at Williamsport

Cypress’ schedule for U.S. bracket pool play at the Little League World Series:

* Monday, vs. Toms River, N.J., 5 p.m., ESPN2

* Tuesday, vs. Jenison, Mich., 5 p.m., ESPN2

* Wednesday, vs. Greenville, N.C., 5 p.m., ESPN2

TRAVEL PLANS: Parents of the Cypress Federal Little League all-stars began planning early for the trip to Williamsport, Pa. B1