2003

Rounders 2003

July 27, 2003

Rounders Claim SoCal ASA Alliance title Saturday, Win Final Tournament of the Season

The El Segundo Rounders clinched the top spot in the So Cal ASA Alliance on Saturday, by winning their third game, while runner up Genesis went 2-1 on the day and was mathematically eliminated from claiming the top spot. On Sunday, the Rounders won three straight games to cap a perfect 6-0 weekend, and win the final Alliance tournament of the season.

On Sunday, the Rounders topped the So Cal Rebels in the quarter finals, Santana Concrete in the semis, and San Diego Fastpitch 4-0 in the championship game. Mitch Mendenhall was the winning pitcher in the first and last game of the day on Sunday, with perhaps his finest effort of the season in the championship game. He needed it, as Dan Zupp matched him pitch for pitch, with the Rounders clinging to a 1-0 lead going into the sixth inning. The Rounder got a leadoff triple by Don Jewett in the 4th and a leadoff double by Eric Geierman in the 5th, but were unable to bring them home, as Zupp turned it up a notch.

In the Rounders' 6th, Rounders shortstop Danny Roberts delivered a clutch two out RBI single, to pad the Rounder's lead to 2-0. Mark Villalobos followed Roberts with a two run home run over the left fielder's head to run the score to 4-0.

San Diego did not go quietly though, getting the leadoff man on in the bottom of their 6th. Mitch Mendenhall made one of the games best plays, diving on his stomach to snare a San Diego bunt, then came up throwing back to first, for the double play.

Santana Concrete and Palm Springs were the other two semifinalists.

ROUNDERS RALLY, CAPTURE MARCH MADNESS CROWN AT SANTA FE SPRINGS, CA

The El Segundo Rounders overcame a 6-1 deficit, with 6 runs in the 5th inning, topping the Panteras 8-6 in the championship game Sunday afternoon at Little Lake Park in Santa Fe Springs, CA. The Rounder sent 10 men to the plate in their big comeback inning, coming on the heels of a 3 run outburst by the Panteras in the bottom of the fourth inning. Eric Geierman had a pair of line drive doubles to left, driving in two and scoring the tying run, while Don Younger and Paul Castillo also scored two runs in the game, each reaching on a double and a walk. The game was highlighted by no less than 4 plays at home plate, with Rounder's centerfielder Tom Morton cutting down two runners to aid in the victory. Both the Panteras and Rounders scored key runs on the other plays at the plate. Billy Zylstra picked up the save with three strong innings of relief work.

Rounders best Genesis for third place - and catch them for first place overall in the Alliance

The El Segundo Rounders defeated Genesis, 9-4, in the consolation game for third place in the tournament after each team dropped their semi-final game. Genesis lost to eventual champion San Diego Fastpitch, 7-4, while the Rounders suffered their first loss of the weekend after 5 straight wins, with a 4-2 loss to the Kanakas.

Rounders' Tom Morton waits for pitch from Kanakas' Joe Edwards in Sunday semi-final game, on a picture perfect day at the ballpark in Palm Springs. (Click to enlarge)

With the victory over Genesis in the final game of the day, the Rounders finished 6-1, with the best overall record on the weekend, and the third place trophy. Unlike many consolation third place games, this one meant something, as the victory enabled the Rounders to catch Genesis for first place in the alliance. San Diego is now a couple of points behind the Rounders and Genesis after two league weekends.

The Rounder's own "Z-man", big Billy Zylstra notched a perfect 3-0 record on the weekend, including back to back shutouts over the Kanakas and Raymar on Saturday to go with his win over Genesis on Sunday. The Rounders played seven games on the weekend, but never faced a team out of their own pool, the "A" pool. The Rounders defeated Genesis Saturday morning, 4-2, Santana 10-2, Kanakas 2-0, Raymar, 8-0, Raymar again Sunday, lost to the Kanakas 4-2, then defeated Genesis to end the day. The offensive outbursts by the Rounders were powered by nearly every member of the team, with Paul Castillo, Eric Geierman and Tom Morton having huge weekends at plate. Jim Crotzer added a handful of RBI's to the mix.