The Amigos and Long Beach Black Sox came to Stockton with high hopes, finishing second and third, respectively in the tough So Cal Alliance league. The Black Sox were the only team to win more than one league tournament, winning three, including the last one of the year in July. When the manager’s draw was completed on Wednesday, they found themselves staring at the prospect of playing each other, in a second round winner’s bracket (if both won) or elimination bracket game (if both lost) Unfortunately for both clubs, it was the latter, as both teams suffered tough losses in their first games Thursday at the ASA “C” Nationals, against two strong opponents.

The Black Sox faced off against the Santa Rosa Storm, which finished third in two qualifying tournaments earlier, including the Memorial Weekend event won by McLaughlin Air and where the Rounders finished second. The Sox led 6-2 in the game but Santa Rose stormed back, and won the game, 8-7.

The Amigos faced the Nielson Gamblers, which finished 9th in last year’s 70 team ASA “C” Nationals in Nebraska, going 3-2. The Amigos came out on the short end of a 5-3 score against the Gamblers.

And so Friday morning, at 10am, the two teams, the Amigos and the Black Sox found themselves squaring off in an elimination bracket game. Gino Sarracho of the Amigos came up big, with two home runs and 5 RBI to carry the Amigos to the next round, and oust the Long Beach Black Sox from the tournament. Sarracho hit a three run shot in the third to stake his team to an early 4-1 lead, then crushed the Sox hopes in the 7th with a two run shot to extend the lead to 7-2. The Black Sox rallied in the 7th, loading the bases with one out, scoring one, but a fly out and ground out ended their season Friday morning. Click here to read Black Sox player-manager Fred Hanker’s final notes on the tournament.

The El Segundo Rounders won the “play-in” game in the first game of the 65 team ASA “C” National Tournament at Louis Park in Stockton, CA, 6-5 over Twin Pines, PA. The Rounders took a 1-0 lead in the third on a solo home run to left field by Mark Villalobos. The Rounders’ Mitch Mendenhall threw shutout ball into the 5th when Twin Pines rallied to tie the game at 1. Gerald Pyle came on in relief and escaped a two-on, one out jam on a spectacular double play by Michael “Spanky” Thomas, who grabbed a hard bouncer up the middle, stepped on second and threw to first in mid-air. First baseman Linnell Culver did the splits to grab the back end of the double play.

The Rounders’ Tommy Morton tripled off the top of the centerfield fence in the 4th, to drive in one, but Twin Pines came back with two to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the 5th. In the 6th, it was Morton again, hitting a towering three run homer over the center field fence with runners at second and third and two outs. Morton drove in 4 of the Rounders 6 runs on the day. Gerald Pyle followed with an RBI single up the middle to run the score to 6-3. After a hit batter and a walk, a double down the left field line cut the lead to 6-5 before the Rounders escaped with the win. Eric Geierman was 2 for 2 with two walks, reaching base all four times.

They advanced to the “regular” part of the 64 team tournament bracket and will face Italian Athletic Club at 12:00 noon today.

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The El Segundo Rounders of Southern California drew the #1 spot in the 65 team random draw at the managers’ meeting in Stockton, at the ASA “C” Nationals, meaning they drew the “play-in” game — having to win their first game at 8am Thursday morning just to get into the regular 64 team bracket. The Rounders finished 13th among 70 teams last year, with a 4-2 record, will face Twin Pines, PA which went 2-2 and finished 25th.

The winner will advance to a 12:00 noon game Thursday against the Italian Athletic Club of Northern California.

Click here for the PDF winner’s bracket at the official GSJSA website.

As of 6am Thursday morning, the teams had not yet been entered into the bracket.