They were stitched and pieced together like an odds and ends patchwork quilt, but for the SoCal Bucks of Santa Barbara, that kind of lineup proved good enough to win.  The Bucks, minus over half their lineup, held off the Casa Trejo Bombers of Yucaipa, 4-3, to claim the Ron Ortega Memorial tournament in Oceanside, Calif., Sunday, July 20.   “This was a make shift, patchwork together weekend,” said Bucks’ Manager, Clyde Bennett. “We had three guys play with us who never played with us before.”

Even with the absence of some of its key players, the Bucks still had enough to cool off the hot-hitting Bombers. The Bombers entered Sunday’s championship with a pool-play record of 3-1 and the number one seed. And their bats were sizzling. In Sunday morning’s semi-final, Casa Trejo bombed Hal’s Sports Shop 9-2 and appeared poised to take the crown.

The Bucks, on the other hand, finished 2-2 in pool play, and after a nearly disastrous 1-2 start, had their backs against the wall late Saturday night. But with a 4-0 shutout of Agvilas of Tijuana, Mexico, the Bucks rebounded to claim the number two seed. “We started coming together the more we played,” said Bennett.  For full recap and photos, click here

Genesis Wins So Cal ASA Championship at Santa Fe Springs 

Click team photo for more details

Lyons Wins Two at ASA Majors,  Will Face The Farm at 12 noon PST Saturday 

(Information Courtesy of Bill Plummer)

Team Lyons, Fresno, CA 1, Midland Explorers 0 

Midland Explorer pitcher Doug Gillis allowed only one hit against Team Lyons of Fresno, CA. But Gillis would have liked to have that pitch back. ”It was a rise ball up,” said Gillis about the pitch that DH Charlie Pena hit over the right center field fence in the bottom of the sixth for the game’s only run. In fact, Pena’s shot cleared the temporary fence on diamond two. Until Pena’s game-winning blow, Gillis had retired 15 batters in order. He walked only one and fanned nine batters in suffering his third defeat of the season against 11 wins.The loss was his 24^th in national championship play against 35 wins. Doug Sleep was the winning pitcher and gave up five hits. Twice Midland loaded the bases against Sleep but couldn’t push across any runs. Sleep struck out seven and walked one in getting his first win of the tourney.  Ehren Earlywine, who will play for Team USA in the Pan American Games next month, was 2-for-2 for Midland (22-17) including a double.  The game was resumed in the fourth inning Friday morning after it was stopped in the bottom of the inning with two outs because of rain Thursday night.

Midland, MI Explorers                 000 000 0 – 0 5 0

Team Lyons, Fresno, CA            000 001 x – 1 1 1

Doug Gillis and Terry Boetsma. Doug Sleep and Todd Garcia.

W-Sleep. L-Gillis. 2B-Midland: Ehren Earleywine. HR-Team Lyons: Charlie Pena.

Frontier Casino's Michael White

(Click Photo to Enlarge)

ST. JOE FRONTIER CASINO PLAYERS RUN THE TABLE AT ROSE CUP TOURNEY, TOP TEAM RAINEY IN FINAL

Frontier Casino's Michael White Gets Title Game Win, Team Rainey's Young Travis Price Wins Most Valuable Pitcher Award as Upstart Team Rainey Beginning to Make Its Mark

[Portland, OR-6/29/03] - The St. Joe Frontier Casino Players showed why they are the defending ISC World Champions and ASA Major National Champions, going undefeated to win the Portland DeMarini Rose Cup tournament Sunday in Portland, Oregon.  Their pitching staff of Michael White, Doug Middleton and Rob O'Brien paved the way for the Casino Players, with Michael White (pictured at right) on the mound in the 7-3 championship game win over Team Rainey of Orange County California.  For complete coverage of the Rose Cup Tournament, click Rose Cup logo at left.

M.V.Pitcher Travis Price

(Click Photo to Enlarge)

TEAM AUSTRALIA WINS VICTORIA TOURNAMENT, TRAVIS PRICE EARNS SECOND MOST VALUABLE PITCHER TROPHY IN TWO WEEKS

[Victoria, B.C. 7/6/03] - Team Australia - "Aussie Steelers" - have captured the title at the 2003 Neil Leard Memorial Tournament with a convincing 9-2 win in the final over Calgary Diamonds.  The Steelers finished in first place in the round-robin portion of the tourney, which earned them a spot in Sunday morning's first semi-final against second-place finisher Fresno, Ca., Team Lyons.  In that game they defeated Team Lyons by an 11-2 score to advance straight to the tourney final later in the day. At the same time, fourth-place Calgary Diamonds were edging third-place finisher Portland DeMarini Merchants 7-6.  This result eliminated Portland and advanced Calgary to the second semi-final against Team Lyons.  Calgary defeated Team Lyons 10-2 to earn the right to face the Steelers in the final.  Young Travis Price, (pictured at left) pitching with Team Lyons, won his second Most Valuable Trophy in two weeks.  For more, click here....

June 2003

May 2003

COUNTY MATERIALS TOPS THE FARM IN "BOYS OF SUMMER" TOURNAMENT

Things went according to Hoyle in the "Boys of Summer" Tournament in Denmark, Wisconsin over the weekend, at least if you were using the ISC's latest rankings.  #2 County Materials topped #3, The Farm 8-1 in the championship game, with #8 Circle Tap finishing third.  Circle Tap finished the tournament with both of their starting pitchers, Dewey Dyck and Rob Scheller out with injuries, Dyck to his foot and Scheller to his groin.  (The duo from Saskatoon are pictured here after pitching their team to title at Cal International Classic in Las Vegas Memorial weekend).  For more details on the tournament, click the Boys of Summer links below.  (info courtesy Al's Fastball)