Raymar's Joe Salcido Gets the Title Win

Raymar captured the Palm Springs Tournament title by winning five (5) games in a row on Sunday, starting at 8am, and ending with an 8pm win over runner-up Santana Concrete, 13-3, capping a perfect 5-0 Sunday.   Raymar overcame a #3/4 seed from Saturday's pool play, while Santana battled from it's #4/4 seeding to reach the title game.    Veteran pitcher Joe Salcido  was the winning pitcher in the title game, while teammate Chuck Vranich avenged a Saturday night loss to the Kanakas, by beating them Sunday night in the semi-finals, to put Raymar in the championship game.     Raymars' 5-win Sunday included victories over the Bandits (16-2), the Amigos (8-4), the Casa Trejo Jet Hawks (7-2),  the Kanakas (7-5),  and finally, Santana Concrete in the title game.    Alex Bazurto started the championship game for Santana, who gave way to Wayne Geisler, then Gary Peters.    The 13 runs in the title game brought Raymar's total to 51 for Sunday in 5 games.

        The roster for Manager Joe Rosalez's Tournament Champions was:   Pitchers: Chuck Vranich and Joe Salcido; Catchers Damian Guerro, Steve Castro, Marty Murilla; 1B/DH: David Valdivia and Ben Guerrero; 2B: David Saucedo; SS: Nick Muratella; 3B: Angel Saucedo; LF: Roy Saucedo; CF: Danny Cotto; RF: Sunny and Mario.

First baseman/designated hitter David Valdivia had a sensational tournament, both defensively and offensively, despite a shoulder injury, and was touted by some as Raymar's MVP.   Left fielder Roy Saucedo ran down several long fly balls, saving runs and perhaps games in the process.

City of Palm Springs' Tournament Director Vicki Oltean's  tournament boasted 19 teams, fifty games (30 Saturday and 20 Sunday),  spectacular mountain views, gorgeous weather , good food,  and hitter's delight neon green ball that resulted in plenty of offense.   The tournament was the second of the year for the ASA So Cal Alliance, following Fernie Ramirez' season opening Norwalk Tournament.  At season's end, the top point getters will advance to represent the Southern California area at the National tournament.   Slick  and his  Palm Springs Express team were the "home" team for the tournament, which pitted 19 teams in " pool play  Saturday (3 games each), following by a  single elimination bracket  Sunday, seeded according to how teams did in Pool Play Saturday.  There were 5 pools of 4 teams each (minus the L.A. Heat, which dropped out of the tournament, leaving Pool C with just 3 teams.  

Raymar's Chuck Vranich Avenges Earlier Loss to Kanakas

Both Raymar and Santana entered the game with perfect 4-0 records during Sunday's single elimination bracket.   Raymar's wins included a semi-final win over the L.A. Kanakas, who had beaten them during Saturday pool play, 12 to 1, with pitcher Chuck Vranich avenging the earlier loss with a big win for Raymar.

Santana in Championship After One Run Wins over Masters and ES Rounders

Santana Concrete built momentum with a  dramatic 6-5, 9 inning tie-breaker win over the SoCal Masters team, in their quarterfinal win.   The Concreters  appeared to have the win in the 8th inning ,  but the runner was ruled out for leaving third too early, as he tagged up to score, forcing a 9th and final inning.  Meltz came on to pitch the 8th and 9th innings of that game as well, to nab the win  making Santana fans happy .    Santana Concrete reached the championship game by edging the El Segundo Rounders 3-2 behind the pitching of Dave Meltz in their semi-final game.  That game was tied at 2 until the 5th when a walk, error and sacrifice fly led to the deciding run.

Norwalk Champion L.A. Kanakas Reach Final Four

        Norwalk Tournament Champion L.a Kanakas were solid again, reaching the final four by edging the Las Vegas Hitmen 7-6 in a Sunday afternoon game.   The Kanakas jumped out to a quick 4-1 lead over the Hitmen, and Norwalk MVPitcher Joe Edwards appeared to be in control.  Mid-way in the game, however,  Joe took a vicious line drive to the chest, forcing him from the game.   The momentum swung to the Hitmen, who rallied to tie the game at 6-all, behind the timely hitting of David Bell  and others.  The Kanakas rallied back though, and picked up the win, eliminating the Hitmen.

Las Vegas will host local fastpitch's next big event, next weekend, March 15-17, 2002, the   Spring Swing in Las Vegas .  The Hitmen's tourney will host 21 teams, and include a 9 team AA/B division and 12 A/C division teams.

El Segundo Rounders Reach Final Four in their first Alliance Tournament

Ron Kirby's El Segundo Rounders reached the Final Four in their first ever Alliance fastpitch tournament, behind the strong pitching of  Mitch Mendenhall  and strong hitting from the entire Rounders roster, scoring 30 runs in 3 games Saturday, and 17 in their first two Sunday.   Mendenhall opened the tourney on Saturday with an 11-2 win over the Las Vegas Hitmen, picked up another win over Palm Springs Sunday, finishing off the day suffering a tough 3-2 loss to Santana.  The Rounders advanced to the final four by overcoming a 5 run first inning deficit against San Diego Fastpitch, battling for a 10-8 slugfest win.  The Rounders' 23 year old newcomer Hector Munoz turns some heads in the San Diego game with a dazzling-game-saving-backhand catch in deep left center field, literally outrunning the ball, somersaulting as he hit the ground, managing not only to hold onto the ball, but come up throwing.  Munoz,  (shown here batting against Rich Woods of Las Vegas) , serves his country during the week as a Marine at Camp Pendelton, and the Rounders on weekends.

Las Vegas Hitmen, San Diego Fastpitch, the So Cal Masters and Casa Trejo Jethawks Round Out Elite Eight

 Just missing the Final Four were the David Bell's Hitmen from Las Vegas, San Diego Fastpitch, the Masters and Casa Trejo.   The Hitmen notched a win Sunday over undefeated pool play winner Soboba, and rallied valiantly in their 7-6 loss Sunday afternoon to the L.A. Kanakas.;  The Nuanez brothers and friends from San Diego rolled past the Mets to extend their win streak in the tourney to 4 games before falling to the Rounders, with Dan Zupp pitching nearly every game.   The Master's narrowly missed the final four, behind the  the always tough Ray Smith  falling to runner-up Santana in a 9 inning tie-breaker;  Dan Campa  and his Casa Trejo teammates knocked off the Rounders Saturday night with a come from behind win, followed by a Sunday morning win over the So Cal Rebels, before being eliminated by eventual tourney winner Raymar.

Santana reached the title game with a close 3-2 win over the El Segundo Rounders, behind the pitching of Dave Meltz.  The Concreters scored two in the first, with the Rounders coming right back for two of their own.  The game remained a 2-2 tie until Santana pushed across the game winner in the 5th inning on a sacrifice fly ball out.

 Raymar overcame an earlier tournament loss to the Kanakas, earning the other spot in the title game behind the pitching of Chuck Vranich.  Raymar had three other wins Sunday, over the Bandits, Amigos and Casa Trejo Jets.

Santana won three other games as well, over TC All Americans, the Panteras and the So Cal Masters, a 9 inning tie breaker affair that saw Dave Meltz pick up the win by pitching the final two frames.  Santana appeared to have won the game against the Mastter in the 8th, but the runner scoring from third was called out for leaving early, forcing the 9th inning.

Santana was the #4 seed from the "A" pool, while Raymar was the #3 from the same pool.    The "A" Pool placed three of its four teams into the "Final Four", with the Rounders being the only Final Four team from another pool.  (the E pool).  Ironically, it was the #1, undefeated seed San Diego Fastpitch which did not advance to the final four, even though they notched a perfect 3-0 record on Saturday and won their first game Sunday, to stretch to 4-0 before being edged out by the Rounders.

        Recap:
Championship Game:
Santana Concrete v. Raymar

Final Four

1. Santana

2. Rounders

3. Raymar

4. Kanakas

Elite Eight

1. Masters

2. Santana

3. Rounders

4. San Diego Fastpitch

5. Kanakas

6. Las Vegas Hitmen

7. Raymar

8. Casa Trejo Jets

The Pool winners Saturday were:

A: San Diego Fastpitch
B: Soboba Big Boys
C: Panteras
D: Amigos
E: Roundersal