Brentwood PONY Baseball's Mustang Division All-Stars completed a 4-0 sweep to bring home the Brentwood PONY Baseball League's first-ever Section Championship in San Pablo on July 12.

The Mustang All-Stars, made up of 9 and 10-year-olds, won their first game in San Pablo against heavy favorite, Tara Hills No. 2, 5-2.

"The kids' attitude and effort was impressive", said coach Tim Santos. "They came ready to play."

Solid pitching performances throughout the tournament by Rene Clark and Ryan Cook helped minimize runs scored against Brentwood, while top hitters Jimmy Darling, Tyler Dorn and Jacob Cash led the offense throughout the tournament.

In their second game, the Brentwood All-Stars pulled off a rare accomplishment against San Pablo, as pitchers Zach Fuller, Matt Stahli, Jacob Martin and Cook combined for a no-hitter on their way to a 11-0 victory.

The Mustang All-Stars beat a strong Vacaville team in each of their final two games, 11-5 and 8-6, to secure the sectional title.

Following its unprecedented win, the All-Stars headed to San Jose July 19 for the eight-team Mustang West Zone Regional Series at San Jose's PAL Stadium.

"I was excited for the kids to get to play on such a topnotch field. I could see the look of surprise as we took the field for warm-ups," Martin said of the pristine facilities. "I think the parents thought it was pretty cool, too."

In the Regional opener, Brentwood beat host team San Jose PAL 16-6, only to fall the next day to perennial powerhouse Tara Hills No. 1, 9-5.

"We knew Tara Hills was the team to beat," said Santos. "Having been to the World Series in Texas two out of the last three years, all roads went through them."

The following day, the Mustang All-Stars lost 6-4 to a team they felt they should have beaten - Golden Eagle from Sacramento.

After managing only one hit through five innings and trailing 6-1, the All-Stars put together a string of four consecutive hits in the final inning to make things close. Unfortunately, down by two runs with one out and the middle of the batting order coming up, a controversial game-ending double play on a hard-hit ball up the middle ended the Brentwood All-Stars' amazing run.

"That last out hurt a little. The kids showed a lot of heart battling back late in the game. We were all very proud of them, and sorry to see things come to an end," said Martin. "You do your best to take these games one at a time. But I think we all were dreaming a little of going to Texas and playing in the World Series."

- Contributed by Ron Martin