The disappointment of losing two one-run games to McLaughlin Air and the Rounders on the final day of the Class C National Qualifier last month in Stockton is all but forgotten now that the Santa Rosa Storm has qualified in a National Championship Qualifier held this weekend (July 23-24) in Hayward. The Storm defeated Quality Fence Kings of Santa Rosa, 9-1, and King Real Estate, 9-3, on Saturday to advance into Sunday’s winners bracket finals against Bottom Line (Elk Grove). Bottom Line opened with a 9-4 win over the Oroville Braves, outlasted Black Oak Casino of Sonora, 16-7, and then held off Country Club Villa, 8-4, to move in opposite The Storm. Going into Saturday’s late games, Italian Athletic Club was paired against Oroville, and the winner was to play Country Club Villa, and in the other loser’s bracket games, Bay Area High Reach was to play Black Oak Casino with the winner being paired against King Real Estate. Two more teams out of the six remaining teams in the losers bracket will advance to Sunday’s play and also qualify for the National Tournament. In Saturday’s first game, the Storm took on Qualify Fence, a young team from Santa Rosa which won its first tournament game, 6-3, over the Stogies of Lodi behind the pitching of Jeff Nystrom. Veteran Chris Hamner pitched a four-hitter as the Storm prevailed 9-1 over Quality Fence in five innings. Jewells Valesi, Brian Osborn, and Rick Faccini all went 2×3 and Casey Hillman went 2×2, scored three and drove in three to lead the Storm. Jim Vargas stopped King Realty with a seven hitter and only one earned run. Vargas also singled, doubled and walked and drove in two runs, while his son, Mike, was 2×3, Gary Dower 2×3, Rick Kane 2×4, and Valesi 3×5 with two RBI.
Saturday’s Results
Game 1 Quality Fence 6, Stogies (Lodi) 3
Game 2 King Realty 6 San Juan 2
Game 3 Country Club Villa 9, Mission II 1
Game 4 Bay Area High Reach 5, Italian AC 4
Game 5 Bottom Line 5, Oroville Braves 4
Game 6 Santa Rosa Storm9, Quality Fence1
Game 7 King Realty 11, Al¹s Roofing 1
Game 8 Bottom Line 16, Black Oak Casino 7
Game 9 Country Club Villa 5, Bay Area High Reach 3
Game 10 IAC 11, Mission II 1
Game 11 Oroville Braves 7, Al’s Roofing 4
Game 12 Bay Area High Reach 5, Stogies 2
Game 13 Black Oak Casino 11, San Juan 8
Game 14 IAC 9, Quality Fence 1
Game 15 Santa Rosa Storm 9, King Realty 3
Game 16 Bottom Line 8, County Club Villa 4
Late Saturday
Game 17 IAC vs. Oroville.
Game 18 Bay Area High Reach vs. Black Oak Casino
Game 19 Winner G17 vs. Country Club Villa
Game 20 Winner G18 vs. King Realty