Anaheim Hills Advances With 13-2 Victory

Lance and Brandon Aponte each homered twice Sunday night as Anaheim Hills West stayed alive in the Little League Western Regional with a 13-2 victory over Mill Creek, Wash., in San Bernardino.

The Southern California divisional champions had five home runs among their 16 hits in a losers’ bracket elimination game that was stopped after 4 2/3 innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.

Lance Aponte went three for four with three runs and six runs batted in. He hit a two-run home run in the first inning, a three-run shot in the second and an RBI double in the fifth.

Brandon Aponte followed his brother’s first-inning homer with a solo shot, and ended the game with a two-run blast with two outs in the fifth.

Jon Grimm also homered, and Andrew Smith pitched a six-hitter for Anaheim Hills, which will play New Mexico in another elimination game at 5 p.m. today.

Anaheim Hills must win today, then would have to beat Northern California champion Sacramento Airport on Tuesday and Wednesday to reach the regional title game.

The winner of the regional goes to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.