Jackson Haskell knocked in Nick Oakley with the winning run, as the Goleta Valley South Little League 12-under All Stars completed a stunning comeback to defeat Thousand Oaks 9-8 in the Section 1 semifinal in Lompoc on Thursday.
With Goleta Valley South trailing 8-7 in the sixth inning, Sam Russell doubled and Oakley laced a double to left to tie the game. Down to his last strike with two out, Haskell grounded a sharp single to left and Oakley slid safely at home for the game winner. The GVS players mobbed Haskell near second base.
The late heroics completed a monumental comeback, as GVS trailed 8-0 after three innings. Thousand Oaks began with six runs in the first.
But GVS struck back with a five-run fourth, highlighted by RBI singles from Will Trautwein and Connor Hess and a dramatic steal of home by Buddy Melgoza. GVS added two more runs in the 5th when Melgoza scorched a double down the first base line to bring GVS within a run.
On the mound, Hess and Trautwein were outstanding in relief. Hess went 4.1 innings and Trautwein closed.
GVS faces the winner of Thousand Oaks vs. Orcutt American on July 20.
