JRW & Associates of Yakima Thrice a Bridesmaid
Mt. Vernon, WA – A third place finish at the Skagit Invite on June 18th left JRW & Associates of Yakima, WA at the altar for the third straight weekend.
Two weekends ago (June 4) at the Rich Rice Memorial Tourn. In Wenatchee, WA, the JRW team was 1-1 in pool play and set to play the Northwest Merchants (NWM) of Lacey, WA in their next game. NWM are unranked as they are only playing a limited weekend schedule.
Mike Egerdeen had pitched the initial 11-1 victory for JRW. The loss came in the second game as JRW’s Masters pitcher Wade Liberty gave up 7 runs in the first two innings. Egerdeen came in and stopped the carnage, but JRW could only get 5 runs back. Egerdeen, nursing a calf injury on the mend, had to come right back against NWM and lasted 4 innings. JRW Masters pitcher Wade Liberty held the NWM for two more innings, but NWM scored 3 in the top of the 7th. NWM Kurt Penner shut JRW down in B7 for the 7-5 win.
About the third inning of Sun Morning’s first round of games, the sky opened up and the tournament was rained out. Based on 3 wins and least runs allowed in pool play, the NWM were awarded the championship trophy.
A bright spot is that the two winning hits were by NWM players who will be joining JRW for the ToC. Also NWM pitcher Kurt Penner will be throwing for JRW in the NAFA Masters in Sept.
One weekend ago (June 11) at the Booster Cup in Portland, Oregon, JRW & Associates were runner-up to Champion CR/Adidas. (Adidas is not ranked, as they have not gone to Championship play in the past few years. In 2005, they entered all WA & OR weekend Invitationals except Wenatchee and won them all. They would be a top 20 team in ISC II rankings).
With only Joey Robbins of the JRW pitching staff available for the weekend, a pick-up pitcher started the first Booster Cup game against the Rose City Merchants. Down 10-1 in the first three innings, Robbins entered the game and closed the door. JRW came back with 7 runs including CF Tim Fischer’s solo HR and P Joey Robbins 3R Homer, but lost 10-8. Rose City went on the claim the # 1 seed for Sun.
In the next pool game, JRW scored 7 runs in the first inning against CR/Adidas and held on for a 12-8 victory. Joey Robbins got the win over P Mike Warren who was on the staff of CR/DeMarini last season.
In the last RR game, 1B Mike Parham hit a 3R homer and a 2R homer and LF Travis Lamb ended a 13-2 game against Phoenix Drug with a grand slam. This victory gave JRW the # 2 seed and Adidas was seeded third.
On Sunday in SE play, JRW beat Phoenix Drug again 8-0 helped by DH Tom Magers 3R homer and Joey Robbins 5 K, 1 W pitching. Meanwhile Adidas won two games to advance to the championship game against JRW.
Adidas started a 9-0 rout with 1st inning solo HR’s by Kevin Rasmussen (Ex-Sea-First catcher) and Jason Aponte (Out of the Dodger organization). Although Joey Robbins had 6 K’s and only two walks, Adidas had 11 hits and 8 RBI’s. (Something about hitting with runners in scoring position). Lefty Greg Soule scattered 7 hits and was supported by two double plays.
Last weekend (June 18th) in Mt Vernon, WA started the first of 5 pool play games with a 5-1 victory over the Seattle Night Hawks. JRW P Mike Egerdeen allowed 4 singles, struck out 5 and walked one. CF Tim Fischer had 3 RBI’s on two timely singles.
The next pool game was against CR/Adidas – JRW P Dave Drotzmann vs Lefty Greg Soule. This one went nine innings, including two tie-breaker innings. A line drive took off Soule’s fingernail in B4 and Adidas P Mike Warren finished up. Two ties and two lead changes later, Adidas eaked out a 6-5 win on SS Ken Cave’s RBI single in T7. C Troy Grow got JRW back within one run with his RBI single, but Warren induced a ground-out to preserve the victory.
Immediately following that evening was the third pool game for JRW against #18 ISC ranked CR/DeMarini. JRW P Mike Egerdeen had a great game even with 4 walks and only 2 K’s. JRW knocked out Argentine pitcher Roberto Bahler in the 2nd inning. Ageless DeMarini junker Gary Hill held the JRW bats at bay for once thru the line-up, then Kevin Rasmussen finished up. DeMarini had 8 hits and JRW had 9 hits. The game was tied at 4-4 after
7 innings. DeMarini scored an un-earned run in the top of the eighth with the ITB rule in effect. JRW got their ITB runner to 3B on a passed ball with no outs, but couldn’t plate the runner, giving DeMarini the 5-4 victory JRW finished pool play Sunday morning with two wins. The first was a 11-5 victory over the Kings of Salt Lake City. JRW P Dave Drotzmann had 11 K’s and 2 walks and did not give up any extra base hits. JRW CF Tim Fischer’s 2 RBI single and 2B Casey Johnson’s 2 RBI double were the big hits in a 6 run JRW 6th inning that put the game away. In a surprise move, manager Jim Williamson had P Mike Egerdeen play 7 innings at 3B.
The second win was a 9-2 victory over Old Growth of Portland, OR. Old Growth was formed for the ASA 50-OVER Nationals in July in Prescott, AZ. JRW P Mike Egerdeen had 8 K’s, 1 walk and allowed only 4 singles in 7 innings. Mike was aided by JRW CF Tim Fischer’s two 2R homers and 2B Casey Johnson’s 2R homer.
In the 3rd inning JRW P Mike Egerdeen mentioned that his pitching arm was tightening up. Mgr Jim Williamson told Mike that P Dave Drotzmann could relieve him and that Mike could replace Dave at 1B. Mike replied that he would try one more inning. The same scene and conversation occurred the following inning. At the next inning, Mgr Jim said it was senseless to push it – let’s make the change. Mike said I don’t want to play 1B, I’ll go one more inning and eventually finished the game. At the post-tournament “meeting” in the parking lot, Mike took a lot of good natured ribbing for his aversion to a defensive infield position.
Morgan Mapes, off the Global team of Grants Pass, OR that was runner-up in last year’s C Nationals in Stockton, started for Old Growth. Mike Trotter of Eagle Point, OR finished up for Old Growth. Mike has pitched at the Class A level for 6 decades and has a win for JRW at the ISC II Tournament of Champions.
JRW finished the weekend at 3-2 for third place based on fewest runs allowed for teams not in championship play.
The tournament had a sad note as Mike Trotter’s mother-in-law passed away early in the weekend. Mike’s wife, Linda, was at her Mother’s bedside. It was the first tournament in 23 years that Linda had not been there to cheer Mike. Our sympathy and prayers go out to the Trotter family and relatives in their time of grief.
A Sunday morning 12-8 win over CR/Adidas put CR/DeMarini in the championship game. DeMarini, with Roberto Bahler pitching, beat Country Insurance of Lynden, WA and P Rod Bierlink (Former Sea-First P) 3-0 for the Skagit Invite crown.
#22 ISC II ranked JRW &
Associates is in action this weekend (June 24-25) at the Rose Cup in Portland, OR. In their pool play, JRW will play # 8 ISC ranked SoCal Bombers, # 36 ISC ranked Prince George Black Bears and # 14 ISC II ranked California Lumberkings.
From: “James Robert Williamson”