• Santa Cruz players celebrate after recording the final out Thursday night. Photo by Dave Lumia
  • Jax Raley struck out eight and gave up three hits in Thursday night’s win. Photo by Dave Lumia
  • The All-Stars take the field for pre-game introductions. Photo by Dave Lumia
  • Owen Thomas celebrates after hitting a two-run double in the second inning. Photo by Dave Lumia
  • Head coach Evan Raley gathers the players for some instruction during a break in the action. Photo by Dave Lumia
  • Shortstop Brantley Orona prepares to throw to first base after fielding a ground ball. Photo by Dave Lumia
  • Jax Raley crosses the plate in the first innings on a single by Brantley Orona. Photo by Dave Lumia
  • Family and friends show their support for the All-Stars. Photo by Dave Lumia
  • Santa Cruz went undefeated in four district playoff games, outscoring its opponents 47-6. Photo by Dave Lumia

The Santa Cruz Little League All-Stars weren’t going to sneak up on anybody this year.

No matter. 

Santa Cruz barreled through the District 8 tournament for 9-11 year-olds, claiming their second consecutive district title with a 13-1 win over Mount Graham on Thursday night in Sierra Vista. Santa Cruz won all four of its tournament games by a combined score of 47-6. Next up is the 9-11 state tournament that begins July 10 in Tempe.

This title followed a different path from last year, when an upstart Santa Cruz team that had never experienced any tournament success battled through the loser’s bracket with a succession of narrow victories to pull off a surprising championship. The current edition of All-Stars played with a dose of confidence instilled last year and dominated the competition.

Head coach Evan Raley said the team wanted to prove last year was no fluke.

“Really proud,” Raley said. “I expect a lot out of them. I coach them like young men, and they respond well.

“They’ve improved. A year of baseball, a year of understanding the process, it helps for sure. We’ve gotten better.”

Mount Graham drew first blood on Thursday, scoring once in the top of the first on a pair of hits, but it was all Santa Cruz after that. 

Santa Cruz countered with three runs in the bottom of the first. Chato Padilla walked and scored on a grounder to second by Hatley Mathews, and Brantley Orona following with a two-run single up the middle.

Santa Cruz added three more in the second, all after two outs. Owen Thomas delivered the big hit, a two-run double to score Padilla and Jax Raley.

Santa Cruz put the game and title away with a seven-run third inning, getting run-scoring hits from Jhett Hubbell, Atlas Bohm, Padilla and Raley and a two-run single by Thomas. When Bohm tracked down a line drive to center field for the final out in the top of the fourth, the victory was secured by virtue of the mercy rule.

Raley pitched all four innings, giving up three hits with no walks and eight strikeouts.

Santa Cruz won two of four games in last year’s state tournament against teams from much larger leagues, and Raley says the team will approach this year with the same loose attitude.

“Kinda like last year,” he said. “Nobody expected us to be there. They don’t care who they’re playing against, they’re going to play their game.”

As most likely the smallest league to qualify for state, Raley said Santa Cruz will again embrace the underdog role. His players might feel a bit differently. Asked about their expectations after celebratory pictures were taken, Thomas and Padilla weren’t bashful.

“We’re going to win state,” Thomas said, to which Padilla immediately agreed.