Monday June 27th, 2005
Portland, Oregon – JRW & Associates of Yakima, WA ended up with one pitcher on Saturday morning, June 24th, as they began Round Robin play in the 14 team Rose Cup. As a result, a disheartened JRW team went 0-3 in RR play and lost a Sunday morning single elimination game to eventual runner-up CR/DeMarini of Portland.
One pitcher recently went to the hospital with three blood clots in his leg and hasn’t pitched in the two weeks since. Then the team learned on Friday afternoon that the second pitcher could not get out of his work commitments (ate an $800 plane ticket). An OPEN class Calif pitcher had been lobbying to join a team for the Rose Cup. He was contacted early Friday evening and even had checked out the plane schedule to arrive in Portland on Sat morning. At 9:00 PM Friday night, he backed out.
To add to the setback, the JRW team started play with a 10 inning 5-3 loss to the Prince George, B.C. Black Bears. With the score tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the 6th, Dave Drotzmann (JRW) was on 3rd base when there was a passed ball. Dave broke for home, but stopped when catcher Chad Ghostkeeper (PG) made a great recovery. Then he fumbled the throw, but Dave had turned back to third.
An unearned run in that 6th inning allowed JRW to tie the score at 2-2. Another unearned run in the bottom of the 8th allowed JRW to match PG’s run in the first of three International tie-breaker innings.
In the top of the 10th, PG scored two runs on CF Brian Bailey’s single and Kevin Broboske’s Sac Fly. Relief pitcher Colin McKenzie (PG) struck out the side to preserve the victory.
Certainly didn’t need a 10-inning game to start the day with only one pitcher. With a win, JRW might have had 1-½ pitchers (emotionally) ready for the second game.
In the second RR game, the NorCal Mavericks started quick with three first inning runs, then fell behind by two runs because of three errors, but scored 3 runs in the B6 for a 7-5 victory over JRW. Manager Chris Wright let Pitcher Keith Frey struggle thru 5 !/3 innings, thin let ace Sonny Perkins finish up. And finish he did by striking out 4 of the last 5 JRW batters. Sonny also chipped in a 5th inning solo HR.
Pitcher Dave Drotzmann (JRW) also had a solo homer. Dave had 8 K’s and only two walks in a losing effort.
Needing a victory over # 19 ranked Team Rainey to even finish third in their pool in their last RR game, Manager Jim Williamson elected to rest his one pitcher for the next day’s playoff. Two infielders and one outfielder shared the pitching duties in the 13-1 blow-out. One highlight was JRW 2B Don Cawthron’s entry to the game with two outs in Team Rainey’s 7 run third inning. Don struck out his first batter on two pitches for the 3rd out. A second highlight was a single by 21 year old LF Jason Grow (JRW) to break up Villabalos’ no-hitter. SS Paul Reyes had JRW’s second and last hit in the 5th.
In Sunday morning’s single elimination game, eventual Rose Cup runner-up CR/Demarini pounded out 12 hits enroute to a 14-4 victory over JRW.
Center-fielder Kent Zweifel (CR) led the charge with two 3 run homers and a single for 6 RBI’s. In Kent’s first year back from college baseball, he sometimes would strike out 2-3 times a game. Kent takes a very healthy cut and now has certainly made the adjustment to big-time softball. Kent was named to the All-Tournament team. 3B Rob Gehrke (CR) had a solo HR. No surprise as Gehrke hits home runs off everybody.
After struggling in the ISC II qualifier tournament, SS Paul Reyes (JRW) capped off a .333, 3 RBI weekend with a solo HR off Mark Bennett.
Next action for the JRW squad will be the Phil Hunt Memorial Tournament in Everett, WA on July 9-10. This tournament is also a fund-raiser for the Burn Children Recovery Foundation (BCRF).
Game One (Sat)
Prince George, BC 011 000 010 2 5 – 5 – 2
JRW & Associates, Yakima 000 011 010 0 3 – 4 – 2
Kevin Careless (WP), Colin McKenzie, (10th) and Chad Ghostkeeper; Dave Drotzmann (LP) and Troy Grow.
Highlights:
C Troy Grow (JRW) 1-4, 1 R; RF Bob Harris (JRW) 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
Pitching: Dave Drotzmann (JRW) 10 IP, 4 ER, 4 W, 5 K’s
Game Two (Sat)
JRW & Associates, Yakima 221 000 0 5 – 5 – 3
NorCal Mavericks, Stockton 300 013 x 7 – 9 – 3
Dave Drotzmann (LP) and Troy Grow: Keith Frey, Sonny Perkins (6th) (WP) and Kevin Kennedy
Highlights: HR’s – Dave Drotzmann (JRW), solo in 3rd; Troy Parker (NCM), 2 Run in 1st; Sonny Perkins (NCM) solo in 5th as DH.
SS Paul Reyes (JRW) 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI; C Troy Grow (JRW) 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI; P Dave Drotznann (JRW) 1-3, 2 R, 1 RBI
Pitching: Dave Drotzman (JRW) 6 IP, 4 ER, 2 W, 8 K’s
Game Three (Sat)
Team Rainey, Whittier, CA 307 30 13 – 12 – 1
JRW & Associates, Yakima 100 00 1 – 2 – 2
Alejando Villabalos (WP) and Tony Acedo, Jack Andreas (LP), Don Cawthron (3rd), Jason Grow (5th) and Bob Harris
Highlights:
SS Paul Reyes (JRW) 1-2, 1 R; LF Jason Grow (JRW) 1-2; RF Troy Grow (JRW) 1 RBI
Game Four (Sun) – Single Elimination Round Starts
CR/DeMarini, Portlard, OR 501 107 14 – 12 – 2
JRW & Associates, Yakima 000 301 4 – 6 – 2
Mike Warren (WP), Mark Bennett (5th) and Ken Kvarnstrom; Dave Drotzmann (LP) and Troy Grow
Highlights:
2B Don Cawthron (JRW) 1 RBI; SS Paul Reyes (JRW) 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI
The weather was perfect all weekend. Many thanks to TD Roger Jones, PDX Metro ASA Commissioner Ron Boley and behind the scenes Tom Ree for an outstanding tournament. After an opening game glitch, FP West’s Jim Flanagan broadcast some of the key tournament games. Also Jim’s posting to his web site provided teams and fans with all the tournament information. Great job, fellas !!!
