This story appeared in the June 2003 issue of SOFTBALL TODAY (click logo to visit their site)

MENSFASTPITCH

Storm Gathering for Long-Awaited Title Push
By Jim McCurdy

PRESCOTT, Ariz. - Sonny Perkins is the ultimate exterminator. His team isn’t so bad either.

Perkins power pitched the Gallup (N.M.) Storm to the Memorial Day Men’s Fastpitch Class C National Qualifier title May 24-26 at Lindley Field.

The Storm beat the Tucson (Ariz.) Hurricanes 2-0 in the championship as Perkins tossed a no-hitter and struck out 11. Perkins also drove in one of two first-inning runs. Allen West had the other RBI.

“Sonny, he’s a gunner,” Storm manager Archie Baca said. “He’s improved so much. If he stays healthy, God willing, and we come through offensively, we will win Nationals.”

Perkins won all five games in the tournament as the Storm outscored its opponents 50-2. He fanned 17 in a 9-0 win over the Peoria (Ariz.) Naturals.

“We just got beat by a better pitcher,” Hurricanes player/coach Paul Rosthenhausler said. “He pretty much dominated the game. Player for player, I think we were a little bit better. Sonny is the heart and soul of that team. If it wasn’t for him, they would be just an average team.”

A rivalry in the making.

“That gives us more of a reason to throw another pitcher at ’em and beat ’em again,” Baca said. “They’re entitled to their opinion. I think everybody is just an average team without a pitcher. Any given day, we should score at least 10 runs, no matter what pitcher the other team throws at us.”

Storm third baseman Robert Rodriguez offered an even more direct response. “Good pitchers play with good teams. Sonny is, and that’s why he’s not playing with them.”

The Storm pounded 19 hits in a 13-0 semifinal win over the Phoenix Scorpions. Albert Gomez’s bat struck gold in that game, and all tournament long. “We were just hot,” Rodriguez said.

The Hurricanes, who went 4-1 in the tourney and improved their record to 25-7, beat the Tucson Hawks 10-6 in the semifinals. Hurricanes shortstop Mark Berjano was 3-for-4 with a double, three-run homer and five RBI, and Sammy Rosthenhausler had two hits. Pitcher Richie Encinas got the win.

“We still have a little work to do,” Paul Rosthenhausler said. “It’s a learning process for the young guys right now. We’re getting there. We always go out there to win.”

Win with a family affair. Eight Rosthenhauslers play or coach for the Hurricanes, made up of players ages 19 to 50. A couple more and they can fill every position on the field with someone from the same bloodlines.

“Not right now. They’re still young,” Paul Rosthenhausler said. “Eight is enough.”

That might be wise. Otherwise scorekeepers will suffer from character overload.

Two weeks before the Prescott tournament, the Storm beat the Class A Albuquerque Sun Devils 10-0 to win a Farmington, N.M. tournament. They outscored their opponents 58-5 in that tourney.

In 1987, the Storm won their first New Mexico State championship. They’ve added regional titles since, but have yet to finish higher than fourth at the National Championships. Baca is hoping that changes at this year’s Nationals in College Station, Texas, Aug. 27-Sept. 1.

“We’ve won State tournaments and Regionals. Now we just hope to do well in the big show,” Baca said. “We expect to be the National champs. We can’t do any talking until we do that. Spirits are high. Everybody’s pretty motivated right now.”

Championship

Gallup Storm 2, Tucson Hurricanes 0

Semifinals

Tucson Hurricanes 10, Tucson Hawks 6

Gallup Storm 13, Phoenix Scorpions 0