SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — After putting on a hitting display in their Little League World Series opener, Conejo Valley Little League of Thousand Oaks, Calif., showed it can win with defense and pitching, too.
Sean McIntyre struck out eight, then drove in the game-winning run as California (2-0) routed Davenport (Iowa) Northwest 10-0, in five innings, in pool play Monday. The loss eliminated Iowa (0-3) from playoff consideration.
"This is a coach's dream," California manager Tom Ginther said. "For us three coaches, it's been a joy to watch."
In other games Monday, Guadalupe, Mexico beat Saipan 6-3; Curacao beat Saudi Arabia 6-1; Morganton, N.C., beat Lincoln, R.I., 5-4; and Kaohsiung, Taiwan beat Ottawa 7-2.
McIntyre walked two of the first three batters he faced, but then stranded both runners by striking out the last two Iowa batters in the top of the first. After that, only two more Iowa runners reached base, and Jacob Gibson got Iowa's only hit, a line drive to left field in the fourth.
His game-winning single was McIntyre's second RBI of the game.
"Sean threw a magnificent game out there," Ginther said. "He did a tremendous job, and I was just really happy to see him get that game-winning hit, too."
Iowa manager Thomas E. Kenyon Jr. refused to come to the postgame news conference.
McIntyre hit an RBI single up the middle in the first, scoring Danny Leon for a 1-0 California lead. Leon made it 3-0 in the second with a two-run single up the middle, and Evan Ocello scored on a wild pitch in the third to make it 4-0.
It was in the fourth inning that the game became a rout. Leon singled, then scored on an infield error; McIntyre made it 6-0 when he came home on a wild pitch. A walk and another infield error set up a three-run homer for catcher John Lister, his second home run of the series, to make it 9-0.
Leon, who finished the game with three hits, doubled in the fifth inning, then forced the mercy rule when he scored on McIntyre's single.
"I felt good about it," McIntyre said. "I didn't know that it would go over his head, but I was happy that it was the game-winning run. I was very happy."