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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