Rounders Find Spark Enroute to Nationals Berth and Second Place Finish at National Qualifier at Stockton, CA
The Rounders finished their 2004 Alliance season by winning three of the last four Alliance tournaments played. They made it to the title game four times, winning all four.
In 2005, however, they have struggled to find their mark, failing to make it to the championship game in four Alliance tournaments thus far. Though holding down third place, something was missing. So the team hoped they could find the answer on their road trip to the National Qualifier in Stockton over the Memorial Day weekend.
A first game loss in which they could muster only three hits didn’t exactly inspire confidence, as they headed into the loser’s bracket, one game away from elimination, but a 17 run outburst in their second game set the stage for a long, productive weekend that resulted in a second place finish, with the Rounders claiming one of two National Tournament berths for the ASA “C†Nationals, back in Stockton over the Labor Day weekend. It didn’t come easily, especially against a strong field of teams that included the likes of Northern California’s McLaughlin Air, A-1 Tank, Santa Rosa Storm and the San Juan Pride, and Central California’s Mixed Company and the Painters. By the end of the day on Sunday, the Rounders had played 8 games, and seemingly spent every waking moment of their weekend at Louis Park in Stockton. The Rounders left town “Sleepless in Stocktonâ€, but having found their spark, and hopeful, when they return for the National tournament three months from now.
The team found success in a variety of places and players, with everyone contributing to the turnaround. Certainly among them were Gerald Pyle, the 27 year old pitcher-DH who clubbed five home runs and picked up 2 wins on the mound, and Linnell Culver, who had three home runs, and seemed to be on base all weekend long. Both Pyle and Culver had a two-home run game, producing runs that proved crucial to the Rounders’ survival in the loser’s bracket. Veteran pitcher Mitch Mendenhall found his mark, and pitched three outstanding games on Sunday, winning all three, including the loser’s bracket final that clinched a national tournmament berth for the Rounders. We provide the following recap of the Rounders’ eventful weekend.
(Editor’s note: If any other teams, including the champions, McLaughlin has info from your games, please send it to us for posting; email us at info@fastpitchwest.com. Click here to view photo galleries from the weekend. Credit David Echeveste of Santana Concrete for coming up with the “Sleepless” headline to this story.)
Game 1: A-1 Tank 5, Rounders 1 (0-1)
As the first place team in the Northern California travel league, A-1 Tank was one of the favorites for this tournament. A-1 lived up to the billing, shutting down the Rounders offense. A-1 Tank lefty Rich Rivera, and his unorthodox delivery stymied the Rounders, holding them to just one hit through the first six innings, a first inning double by Mark Villalobos. (Rivera keeps the ball hidden until late in his delivery, and comes off to the left side of the rubber as he releases the ball) A-1 Tank scored a run in the first on a solo home run by Ardu Panisotto, another in the second on a solo homer by Don Meyers, and two more in the third on singles by Craig Daruk, Shawn Ching and Erin Linnell.
Villalobos added another hit in the seventh, and Gerald Pyle singled him in for the only run for the Rounders in this one-sided affair. Mitch Mendenhall went the distance, holding a strong A-1 offense to five runs, while Rivera picked up the win in the 3 hit gem. To make matters worse, Rounder catcher Donald Younger suffered a dislocated thumb in the game. (more…)
The 
Fresh on the heels of their second So Cal ASA Alliance tournament title of 2005, at Lancaster last weekend, Fred Hanker’s Long Beach Black Sox will be heading north for the Grant’s Pass Memorial Day tournament. It will be a family affair for Fred, who’s father lives in the area and will no doubt bring along some local fans to root on the Sox. Fred had this to say about the rapid progress of his club, from a first year team last season, finishing as the Cal Cup champions in 2004, and now, winning two of the four Alliance tournaments to date:
The Portland Rose Cup & DeMarini Classic – June 25-26 – East Delta Park Complex
