Lufkin All-Stars blank California squad 2-0 in Junior League World Series

Published 10:52 pm Wednesday, August 15, 2018

TAYLOR, Mich. — Mark Requena tossed a two-hit shutout in leading the Lufkin All-Stars to a 2-0 victory over Manhattan Beach, California on Tuesday in the Junior League World Series.

Lufkin, representing the Southwest, improves to 3-0 in the tourney, while the California squad, representing the West, falls to 2-1.

The Piney Woods team advances to the United States championship at 5 p.m. Saturday. They will play either Manhattan Beach or Warren Park from Chicago. Those teams play at 3 p.m. Thursday.

Shing-Ming from Taoyuan, Chinese Taipei is in the International championship and will play at 2 p.m. Saturday against either Hills All-Stars from Sydney, New South Wales in Australia or Guadalupe Trevino Kelly All-Stars from Reynosa, Tamaulipas in Mexico.

The World Series final is scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday on ESPN2.

In Wednesday’s win, Requena struck out five and walked one batter.

Sam Flores led Lufkin with a double, while Chip Buchanan, Hunter Ditsworth, Bebo Hinojosa and Charlie Deaton all had singles. Hinojosa and Ricky Rodriguez drove in runs as Lufkin scored single runs in the fourth and sixth innings.

Ben Gneiser and Max Jonas had singles for California.