Click here for complete recap of the 15th Annual Best of the West Tournament

Peeples, Solano Garner MVP Awards

After a three-year Team Rainey reign, there is a new champion at Best of the West, the So Cal Bombers. The Bombers topped San Diego Primetime, Portland C/R DeMarini and the High Desert Dawgs on Sunday, to capture the 2005 Best of the West tournament at Winchester, California, with temperatures running into the 100’s. Team Rainey fell in the semi-finals to the High Desert Dawgs, after topping Raymar early Sunday morning.

The Bombers escaped a near-upset Sunday morning, rallying for an extra inning win over San Diego Primetime, then defeated Portland C/R DeMarini to reach the title game. In the Championship Game, Bombers pitcher Travis Price picked up the win, 3-1, with Tony Peeples getting the save.

Tony Peeples was named the Most Valuable Pitcher for the second year in a row, while the Bombers Arturo Solano was the Most Valuable Player.

We’ll post all the scores, details and photos later tonight.

Team Rainey 9, Raymar 2
So Cal Bombers 6, San Diego Primetime 5, 8 inn.

Portland 9, Rounders 2
Hi Desert Dawgs over Young Bucks;

Semi-finals

Team Rainey vs. Hi Desert Dawgs
So Cal Bombers vs. Portland CR/DeMarini

Semi-final winners play for the Championship

The High Desert Dawgs and El Segundo Rounders were the top seeds from their respective brackets Saturday at Winchester, CA in the 15th Annual Best of the West Tournament. None of the eight teams made it through Saturday unbeaten. In Pool A, the Dawgs, Team Rainey and So Cal Bombers were all 2-1 with the Dawgs nailing down the top seed. In Pool B, the Rounders, San Diego Prime Time and Raymar were all 2-1 with the Rounders earning the top seed.

Tournament director is David Blackburn, the ISC streaming media maven, who just returned from the Maccabiah Games in Israel. Casa Trejo restaurant, the sponsor for the So Cal Bombers, provided a first rate concession stand.

Team Rainey has won the last three Best of the West tournaments. For those not familiar with Winchester, it is about an hour west of Palm Springs, near the I-15 corridor. Temperatures Saturday started in the 80’s in the morning, and topped 100 degrees before the day was out. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, July 31, 2005 in a Single Elimination Championship Bracket.

Saturday Round Robin Scores

Team Rainey 4, Portland CR/DeMarini 0
San Diego Primetime 11, Raymar 7
So Cal Bombers 2, High Desert Dawgs 0
Rounders 8, Young Bucks 2
Team Rainey 10, So Cal Bombers 2
San Diego Primetime 9, Young Bucks 1
High Desert Dawgs 9, Portland CR/DeMarini 0
Raymar 6, Rounders 3
High Desert Dawgs 3, Team Rainey 1
Rounders 5, San Diego Primetime 2
So Cal Bombers 5, Portland CR/DeMarini 1
Raymar 3, Young Bucks 1

Pool A

The Dawgs (2-1) beat Team Rainey and Portland, losing to the Bombers;
The Bombers (2-1) beat the Dawgs and Portland, losing to Team Rainey;
Team Rainey (2-1) beat the Bombers and Portland, losing to the Dawgs.
Portland CR/DeMarini was 0-3;

Pool B

The Rounders (2-1) beat the Young Bucks and San Diego Primetime, losing to Raymar;
Primetime (2-1) beat Raymar and the Young Bucks, losing to the Rounders;
Raymar (2-1) beat the Young Bucks and Rounders, losing to San Diego Primetime.
The Young Bucks were 0-3;

We’ll post a final recap with winning and losing pitchers at the end of the tournament.