The Panteras rode the arm of Gerald Pyle as he threw a complete game 4 hit shutout in beating The Long Beach Black Sox 5-0 in the championship game. Pyle struck out 10 and walked none in a brilliant performance. The Panteras completed a perfect 5-0 weekend in winning the 12 team event at Artesia Park in Artesia. Eli Salazar led the offensive attack going 2-3 with 3 RBI. Tony Acedo also added 2 hits and a run scored. Jimmy Buentello chipped in with another 2-3 day and a run scored. The Panteras beat Ron Rupp for the second time in the day.
The Panteras jumped on Rupp early in the first inning. Rupp walked the first two hitters of the game. Two outs later Eli Salazar lined a 0-2 pitch to left field for a single making the score 2-0 Panteras. Tony Aucedo later singled with two outs driving in Salazar making the score 3-0 after one inning. In the Panteras fourth inning Tony Aucedo singled with one out. Trino Ramirez followed with a walk. With runners on first and third Dee Neeblas hit a sac fly to center making the score 4-0. In the Panteras 5th Jesse Duncan singled as did Jimmy Buentello. Eli Salazar singled home Duncan to make the score 5-0 after 5 innings.
Pyle did the rest for the Panteras as the Sox mounted only 1 real threat in the first inning when Andy Martinez singled and Fred Hanker doubled. With runners on second and third with 1 out Pyle retired Chris Minogue and Dave Demaio to stop the rally. After the first inning Long Beach never got a runner past second base the rest of the game. Fred Hanker led the Sox going 2-2 and Andy and Chris Martinez got the 2 other hits.
The game marked the end of the 2007 SCIFL inaugural season. The Long Beach Black Sox were crowned the A Major champions winning 3 tournaments and compiling an astounding 31-7 record in league play. The A Minor champion will be determined in a few days. I would like to thank all the teams for participating in what was a very successful first season of competitive fast pitch softball. A special thanks to Robert Hernandez the Tournament Director for whom made all this possible. We hope to continue to bring exciting softball to the Southern California area for many years to come. Good luck to all the teams going to the nationals in a few weeks.
Fred Hanker
SCIFL Commissioner