Carson City, Nevada \u00e2\u20ac\u201c JRW & Associates 40 & Over team parlayed three come-from-behind victories into a Silver Medal at the NAFA Masters World tournament. With the help of four British Columbia players, JRW was 3-2 for the weekend.<\/p>\n
At 1-1 in Sat pool play, JRW went into Sunday\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s single elimination play as the # 2 seed from Pool A in the six team tournament.<\/p>\n
JRW reached the Championship game with two victories on Sunday, but lost to the UTAH juggernaught 10-0. DB Tom Magers singled for the lone hit off pitcher Steve Morgan. Only four JRW players struck out in this game, a great improvement over the Sat 8-0 loss to UTAH in pool play in which P Steve Morgan struck out 12 on the way to a perfect game.<\/p>\n
NAFA Utah Director Les Vaughan assembled a squad of Master players from past Miller Toyota and Castlewood teams that went undefeated in the 40-Over category.<\/p>\n
In JRW\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s first pool play game, the team rallied from a 7-6 deficit in the 5th for a 12-10 victory over KHT Pumpers of Visalia, CA on SS Mike Parham\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 2 RBI single in B6. CF Steve Pidman was 3-4 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI. 2B Don Cawthron was 2-4 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI, that coming on a 3 run homer in B5.<\/p>\n
In T7, JRW walked CF Todd Budke with 1B occupied. Todd had two 2 run homers and a double in three previous AB\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s. With the bases loaded, JRW pitcher Wade Liberty induced a force out at 2B to insure the victory.<\/p>\n
(See a related story on NAFA web site later on for Budke\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s tourney achievements, which were probably the greatest single batting performance by a player in any tournament).<\/p>\n
In Sunday\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s opening SE game, JRW 1B and BC native Keven MacDonald (1B) singled home CF Steve Pidman in B7 for JRW\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 2nd come from behind victory, a 5-4 win over Tule Lake, CA. In T7 with 2 outs and first and third occupied with Tule Lake runners and the score tied at 4-4, Manager Jim Williamson ordered an intentional walk for P John Wismuth who had a 2 run homer in the first. A ground out to 3B ended the inning with no score. 2b Don Cawthron was 2-3 with 1 run and 1 RBI. LF Troy Grow was also 1-3 with an RBI. P Kurt Penner allowed only one run in 3 2\/3 innings of relief to post the victory.<\/p>\n
In Sunday\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s next SE game, JRW faced long time nemesis BADEN Sports of Seattle, last year\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 40 & Over champion. (Formerly sponsored by the Hobnobber tavern). Trailing 2-3, JRW exploded for 8 runs in B5 for a 10-3 run-ahead victory. BC native Nick Trasolini (Caught all five games) led the scoring with a 2 RBI double while LF Troy Grow, SS Mike Parham and DB Wade Liberty chipped in with RBI doubles. SS Mike Parham was 3-3, LF Troy Grow was 2-3 and C Nick Trasolini also had an RBI single (2-4). SS Mike Parham and 2B Don Cawthron were selected to the All-World team as well as was British Columbia P Kurt Penner and CF Steve Pidman.<\/p>\n