Little League: Petaluma Valley juniors survive late rally by Pacifica to win Northern California title

Petaluma Valley Little League now has a Northern California championship team.

The league’s juniors squad survived some late-inning drama Saturday night to hold on for a 4-3 win over Pacifica in Rocklin, their second straight victory over Pacifica in as many days.

The team is only the second Petaluma Valley Little League representative to make it to the regional postseason tournament and first since the 12-and-under team made it to San Bernardino back in 1995.

“We’ve had a big following; a huge crowd made it up to Rocklin for our games and we’re just excited for our league,” Petaluma head coach Shawn Dooley said. “We’re in pure celebration mode right now.”

With PVLL leading 4-1 in the top of the seventh and final inning, Pacifica rallied for two runs on a flyout and groundout to make it a one-run ballgame. Colt Cilia, who was a part of the PVLL crew that threw a combined one-hitter one night prior, then got the game-ending fly out on three pitches to ensure the title.

Petaluma got an early 2-0 lead in the second inning, when Jayden Perry crushed a two-run triple that scored Gavin Powell and Brandon Lozinto-Wyatt. It seemed the PVLL bats that had produced 13 hits the day before were still hot.

The score remained 2-0, however, until the sixth inning, when Pacifica scored on an RBI double. The visitors still were threatening with runners on second and third before Perry delivered a much-needed strikeout to end the threat.

PVLL responded with two huge insurance runs in the bottom of the frame. Tyler Pelissetti scored on a wild pitch and Noah Holley then laced an RBI double that ultimately proved decisive.

“Before they even got that run, we knew we wouldn’t be good with just two,” Dooley said. “It was too close of a game; Pacifica is a scrappy team and the only team to beat us all year. We knew they had it in them, so we knew we needed a few insurance runs there.”

Perry started on the mound and was lights-out to start, striking out nine in six innings of work. He allowed just four hits and two runs. Cilia came into close it out.

The win caps a remarkable tournament for the PVLL team, which beat College Glen 3-1 and Visalia 4-0 to move into the championship bracket semifinals. After losing to Pacifica 4-1, the juniors fell into to the consolation bracket, where they met College Glen again.

A 5-0 win over College Glen moved Petaluma Valley to the championship series against Pacifica, needing to win two games in a row in order to secure the title.

Step one was accomplished Friday with an 8-0 shutout. Saturday’s win completed the comeback.

“I’m super proud of the kids,” Dooley said. “It’s been a long season, a rewarding season, and the effort that the kids put in has been great. The talent has been able to show through because of that work they put in.”

You can reach Staff Writer Kienan O’Doherty at 415-887-8650 or kienan.odoherty@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @kodoherty22.