The Sweetwater Valley Little League all-star team that came within one game of competing for the U.S. championship in South Williamsport, Penn., will be welcomed home Tuesday.
The youngsters claimed the West Region title in San Bernardino and put up a strong showing in the Little League World Series before falling in an elimination game Thursday night, 9-7, to Pearland West, the Southwest Region entrant from Texas.
The Texans were the only ones to defeat the ballplayers from Bonita and northeastern Chula Vista, doing so twice.
Pearland West subsequently lost to the team representing the Red Land Little League of Lewisberry, Penn., in Saturday’s U.S. championship game. On Sunday, Red Land fell to Tokyo in the international championship.
Sweetwater Valley was the 11th team from San Diego County to qualify for the Little League World Series and third in seven years.
The welcome home event will begin at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Sweetwater Valley Little League field. Representatives of the county of San Diego and city of Chula Vista will be on hand at the celebration, along with Channel 93.3, the Eastlake and Bonita Vista high school cheer squads, and the San Diego Padres Pad Squad.
— City News Service