Marzo’s home run lifts California

— Danny Marzo was thinking about his manager’s advice as he walked to the plate in the eighth inning: Concentrate on making a good swing, not hitting a home run.

He listened and went deep anyway - for one memorable game-ending shot.

The 12-year-old Marzo drove a breaking ball to the grassy hill beyond the rightfield wall to help Petaluma, Calif., advance in the Little League World Series with a 5-4 victory over Parsippany, N.J., on Monday.

Manager Eric Smith “told me you can’t go up there thinking walk-off home run,” Marzo said. “You have to be thinking base hit. A walk-off comes off a good base-hit swing.”

Marzo’s giddy teammates started lining up around the plate to pat him on his helmet before he even reached second. Their frantic fans started chanting “Petaluma!”

Smith’s son, 13-year-old shortstop Hance Smith, knew the ball was headed out when he saw Marzo’s swing.

“I didn’t really [see the ball]leave the park,” Hance Smith said with a smile. “I just came out to greet him.”

Parsippany scored two runs in the sixth to tie it at 4-4. Emil Matti homered and David Ton had an RBI single.

California’s Logan Douglas struck out four in 2 1/3 scoreless innings to set up Marzo’s winning home run. Smith went 2 for 3 with a two-run single in the fourth.

CURACAO 4, CANADA 3

Trailing 3-1 in the fifth, Willemstad, Curacao, had runners on second and third when Christopher Koeiman hit a fly ball to left with one out. Carter Kada-Wong fell backward to make the catch, but both runners had enough time to score.

Jansen then homered to give Curacao the lead for good against Vancouver, British Columbia.

Reliever Rallison Bentura pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings to get the win.

“I had the attitude that nobody could hit me,” the 12-year-old right-hander said through an interpreter.

Cole Dalla-Zanna was the hard-luck loser for Canada, striking out nine.

NEBRASKA 17, GERMANY 1

Kearney earned Nebraska’s first victory at the Little League World Series - and set a tournament record, too, with the 15-runsecond inning.

Thirteen-year-old Jared Wegner went 3 for 4 with a home run and five RBI in the game delayed by rain and played under sometimes sloppy conditions.

MEXICO 4, TAIWAN 3

Mexico scored three runs in third to take the lead, including two on a throwing error, and went on to a victory over Taoyuan, Taiwan.

Mexico loaded the bases after tying it at 2-2 on an error. In the next at-bat, Taiwan’s catcher tried to run back a runner who had strayed off first, but the ball slipped from his hand on a fake throw and dribbled into right field. Two runs scored to give Mexico a 4-2 lead.

Chun-Hsiao Chen hit an RBI single in the fourth, but Mexico center fielder Fernando Benavides cut down the potential tying run at the plate.

CONNECTICUT 4, INDIANA 0

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Will Lucas threw a no-hitter to lead Fairfield, Conn., past New Castle, Ind., 4-0.

The 12-year-old right-hander struck out 13 and also had a two-run single in the fifth.

“Once I saw him in the bullpen, I knew it was going to be a good night,” catcher Biagio Paoletta said.

Matt Kubel homered for Connecticut, which will play California in a rematch tonight. Connecticut lost the first matchup 6-4 last week.

Little League World Series MONDAY’S GAMES Kearney, Neb. 17, Ramstein, Germany 1, 4 innings Willemstad, Curacao 4, Vancouver, British Columbia 3

Vancouver eliminated Petaluma, Calif. 5, Parsippany, N.J. 4, 8 innings

Parsippany eliminated Nuevo Laredo, Mexico 4, Taoyuan, Taiwan 3

Taiwan eliminated Fairfield, Conn. 4, New Castle, Ind. 0 TODAY’S GAMES Lugazi, Uganda vs. Gresham, Ore., noon Willemstad, Curacao vs. Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, 3 p.m.

Petaluma, Calif. vs. Fairfield, Conn, 7 p.m.

Sports, Pages 15 on 08/21/2012

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