Following a six-game run over six days in which the team went undefeated, Mexico City (Liga Olmeca) was victorious over fellow undefeated Tijuana, Baja California 8-1 in the championship game; thus, claiming the title as Bronco Mexico Zone champions.
Mexico City set the tone early, when, in the bottom of the first with two outs, third baseman Jesus Yanez hit a three-run home run to centerfield. In the bottom of the second, Mexico City added to its lead thanks to a Juan Alva RBI single to left field, which scored Samuel Pingel, and a Shago Hirayama walk with the bases loaded scored Frank Avila.
An early 5-0 lead gave Mexico City’s starting pitcher Pingel plenty of confidence, as he went 5.2 innings on the mound and allowed an unearned run on just four hits and a walk, while striking out five on the day.
Hirayama reached first base via an error in the bottom of the fourth, and he moved all the way to third on Leonardo Munoz’s infield single. Juan Girado cashed Hirayama in from third, giving Mexico City a six-run lead, before Carlos Guerra knocked in Alvaro Arguelles, thanks in part to an error, in the top of the fifth, to give Tijuana its first and only run of the game.
Liga Olmeca was able to tack on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth thanks to two Tijuana errors (8-1), and relief pitcher Alejandro Islas pitched 1.1 scoreless innings to win comfortably.
Alva led Mexico City at the plate, going three-for-four with two RBI and a run scored, while, in addition to pitching a gem, Pingel was two-for-4 with two runs scored.
With the win, Mexico City has claimed the Mexico Zone’s automatic bid to the Bronco World Series and will face Host Los Alamitos, California in its first game, Friday, Aug. 3 at 7:30 PM PST/US. It is Mexico City's first appearance at the Bronco World Series since 2009, when the team won a game versus Monterey, California 16-7. Mexico City's lone Bronco World Series title was in 1979, when it defeated Newhall, California 5-3 in the championship game. Mexico City also qualified for the event in 1982.
Semifinals Friday, April 6
Olmeca 7
Minatitlan, Veracruz 4
Knockout Stage Thursday, April 5
Olmeca 15
Hermosillo, Sonora (Buhitos Unison) 1
Tuesday, April 3
Olmeca 9
Mexico City (La Salle) 5
Monday, April 2
Olmeca 11
Culiacan, Sinaloa (Humaya) 3
Sunday, April 1
Olmeca 19
Ninos Heroes 1
Saturday, March 31
Olmeca 5
Hermosillo, Sonora (Buhitos Unison) 3