Gerald Pyle puts together winner
In the finals of the Palm Springs 2 Upper Division The undefeated Long Beach Black Sox squared off against Rupps Worst Nightmare. It was only fitting that the two pitchers were Gerald Pyle and Ron Rupp who have been playfully sparring all year in The Fastpitch West Forum. The two teams on saturday played a thrilling 3-2 game in 8 innings which Long Beach prevailed. This game would be completely different as Rupp’s Worst Nightmare would win the championship scoring 11 runs.
The game was 0-0 after one as Gerald Pyle got out of a 1st and third jam in the first inning inducing Chris Minogue to hit into a double play after Fred Hanker and Andy Martinez singled. In the second Rupp’s Worst Nightmare would get on the board when Javier Fierro doubled and scored on a single. In the third Rupp’s Worst Nightmare got 3 off Sox ace Ron Rupp when Sonny Perkins singled followed by another single and a Javier Fierro RBI single. Gerald Pyle than tripled to left scoring 2 more making the score 4-0 after three. Fred Hanker pulled Ron Rupp after the inning and replaced him with Dave Blackburn. The Sox rallied in the 4th scoring 3 when Fred Hanker singled and Chris Minogue homered to left center. Ron Rupp than singled and advanced to second on a passed ball. Dale Lopes than delivered an 0-2 pinch hit single driving in Rupp. Lopes made his 1st Sox appearance in 2 years in the at bat. The game was broke open in the bottom of the 4th off Dave Blackburn. Sonny Perkins led off with a walk and Troy Parker singled. Javier Fierro followed a triple with a RBI single his third hit of the game.