PHOTOS - CLICK HERE

Photos from Best of the West 2002 (by Bob Otto)

Best of the West  2003

San Jacinto, CA - July 26-27, 2003 

(Information Courtesy of  Tournament Director David Blackburn)

2003 Best of The West Tourney Returns to the Soboba Sports Complex

[Sunday, July 27, 2003 - San Jacinto, CA] - Team Rainey repeated as Best of the West Champions, with a 1-0 championship game win over Captain Dan's.   Rainey's Dee Nieblas started the winning rally with a base hit, and scored on a bases-loaded-walk to Chris Hunt for the game's only run.  Hunt was named the Most Valuable Player in the tournament, while Travis Price earned Most Valuable Pitching honors, on the strength of his 4-0 record.  The award marks the third Most Valuable Pitcher trophy for the rising young star, who also captured the awards at the Rose Cup in Portland and the Neil Leonard in Victoria earlier in the year.

Scoreboard - Saturday's Pool Play Games
 

For photos, click link at left.

Pool Play Standings

Pool A

Pool B

Game-by-Game Recap

Game # 1

Team Rainey 5,  The Blackhawks 0

Three Hit, 13K Shutout for Travis Price

Travis Price struck out 13 in this 3 hit shutout.   Ralph Salcido was 3 for 4 for Rainey.  Mark Manuelito took the loss for the Blackhawks.   

Game # 2

Casa Trejo 3,  SunDevils  0

Five Hit Shutoff by Lonnie Brooks

Ron Ortega Most Valuable Pitcher Lonnie Brooks picked up where he left off last weekend, with an 11 strikeout, 5 hit shutout of the Sun Devils.   Casa Trejo's Paul Iverson hit a solo homer for one run, while teammate Robert Renteria drove home the other two with a double.    Greg "Spud" Barker pitched well in the losing effort. 

Game # 3

The Bucks 5, So Cal Bombers 2

Mark Bennett Tosses 14 K, 5 Hitter

The Bucks John Pruneda was 2-3 with a run scored, and teammate Joe Vigil was 2-4 and 2 runs scored, as the Bucks topped the So Cal Bombers 5-2 behind the 5 hit, 14 strikeout performance of Mark Bennett.   Jason Iuli was the losing pitcher.  Chuck Miner added some excitement with a two out, 7th inning home run for the Bombers.  Steve Pedroza was 2-3 for the Bombers in the loss.

Game # 4

Captain Dan's 7, Aguilas de Tijuana 1

Three Home Runs Power Captain Dan's to Win

Dwayne Fowler, Don Didion and Chad Hardesty all homered for Captain Dan's, providing plenty of offense to support winning pitcher Dennis Webb.  Louis Flores took the loss for Tijuana.   Fowler and Didion's home run were three run blasts, while Hardesty's a solo shot.  Hardesty also tripled in the winning effort.

Game # 5

Team Rainey 6,  The Bucks 1

Hunoff Tosses 2 Hitter, Tops Bucks

Team Rainey's Tony Hunoff tossed a 2 hitter, striking out nine in picking up the win over the Buck's Mark Higgins, who had 8 strikeouts himself.  Rainey's Jesse Duncan was 2-3 , with a homer and a triple.  Rod Rainey was 2-4 with a double and triple, 2 RBI, 2 runs, while teammate Chris Hunt was 2-4, and also had a triple and double, and a run scored. The Bucks Joe Vigil and Lee Kendrick had the only two hits off Hunoff.

Game # 6

Casa Trejo 6, Captain Dan's 1

Iverson's 3 RBI Powers Casa Trejo

Paul Iverson had 3 RBI, while Chito Aldama was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored.  Val Douglas added a double and scored a run. Panfilo Valdez picked up the win, while Captain Dan's Ryan Webb took the loss.  Casa Trejo outhit Captain Dan's 6 to 4.

Game # 7

So Cal Bombers 1,  BlackHawks 0

Chuck Miner Homer is Only Offense Hillhouse and Bombers Need

Bill Hillhouse dominated this one, shutting out the Blackhawks while striking out 14.    Chuck Miner hit a solo homer for the game's only run.   Mark Manuelito was the hard luck loser.  The Blackhawks' two hits were by Albert Garcia and Mike Quinn.

Game # 8

Sun Devils 8, Aguilas de Tijuana  1

Vail and Devine Drive Home Five as Sun Devils Prevail

Mark Vail and Nate Devine produced 5 of the Sun Devils 8 runs.   Mark Vail was 3 for 4 with a single, double, and triple for 2 RBI, while Nate Devine was 2-3, with a single and double, and 3 RBI.   The Sun Devils Sean Barker picked up the win, while surrendering only 4 hits and striking out 7.   Tijuana's Carlos Vasquez took the loss, surrendering 10 hits and striking out 2. 

Game # 9

Team Rainey 6, SoCal Bombers, 0

Rainey's Guerrero and Hunt Homer, Travis Price Shuts Out Bombers

Damian Guerrero and Chris Hunt homered for Team Rainey, while Jesse Duncan was 2 for 3 with a run scored.  Guerrero's was a 2 run shot, while Hunt's was a solo Blast.    Travis Price continued his spectacular 2003 season, tossing a shutout and striking out eleven.   Bill Hillhouse took the loss for the Bombers, but struck out 10 himself.   David Valdivia was 2-3 for the Bombers

Game # 10

Casa Trejo 5, Aguilas de Tijuana 4

Frank Mestez Drives Home Game Winner in 8 Inning Tie Breaker

Casa Trejo won this one in an 8 inning tie breaker, when Frank Mestez singled to bring home the winning run.  Panfilo Valdez picked up the win, pitching the last four innings in relief of Lonnie Brooks, who tossed the first four frames.   Tijuana's jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first, with two of those runs scoring on Faust Melendez double.   Casa Trejo climbed back into the game when Jimmy Huerta cleared the bases with a 3 RBI double.   Panfilo Valdez had six strikeouts in his four innings of relief, while starter Lonnie Brooks struck out 5, yielding but 3 hits.  Each team had five hits in the game.

 Tijuana's Carlos Vasquez suffered the loss.

Game # 11

Blackhawks 14, Bucks 7

Darren Dondero Drives in Seven Runs, Teammates Add Another Seven

In what might have been the wildest game of the day, the Blackhawks struck out 16 times, but managed to score 14 runs.  Mark Manguelito was the winning pitcher, while Mark Bennett suffered the loss, despite 16 K's.  The Blackhawk's Craig Peter was 4 for 5 with a home run and double.  Darren Dondero was 3-4, with two triples, a double and seven (count 'em), 7 RBI.  For the Bucks, Aaron Owen had a 3 run homer, Steve Gritz was 2-4 with a home run and 3 RBI, while Joe Vigil was 3-4 with a runs scored and an RBI.

Game # 12

Captain Dan's 6, Sun Devils 3

Captain Dan's First Five Batters Score, Decide Outcome

The outcome of this one was decided in the first inning after the first five batters for Captain Dan's scored.  Dwayne Fowler had a big game, going 3-4 with a home run, double and single, scoring two runs and driving home two.    Dennis Webb struck out 7 in picking up the win, while Greg Barker had 6 K's of his own. 

For photos, click link at left.

[Saturday night, July 26, 2003 - San Jacinto, CA] - Team Rainey and Casa Trejo were the top two teams in the Thirteenth Annual Best of the West Tournament, Saturday at the Soboba Sports Complex in San Jacinto, California, in pool play games. Both teams were 3-0. Travis Price picked up two wins, a pair of shutouts for Team Rainey, while Tony Hunoff added the third win. For Casa Trejo, Panfilo Valdez had two wins,  with Lonnie Brooks notching the other. Captain Dan's was 2-1 on the day, while the Blackhawks-Bucks game proved to be the wildest, with the Blackhawks prevailing, 14-7 -- despite 16 strikeouts by the Bucks Mark Bennett. The Blackhawks Darren Dondero drove in seven (7) runs, to power the Blackhawk offense.
 

Sunday July 27

Single Elimination Championship Play

4 Quarterfinal Games

Game # 13

Field # 1

8:30 AM

Pool A 2nd Place Vs. Pool B 3rd Place

Game # 14

Field # 2

8:30 AM

Pool A 3rd Place Vs. Pool B 2nd Place

Game # 15

Field # 1

10:15 AM

Pool A 1st Place Vs. Pool B 4th Place

Game # 16

Field # 2

10:15 AM

Pool A 4th Place Vs. Pool B 1st Place

2 Semi-Final Games

Game # 17

Field # 1

Noon

Winner Game # 13 Vs. Winner Game # 15

Game #18

Field # 2

Noon

Winner Game # 14 Vs. Winner Game # 16

Championship Game

Game # 19

1:45 PM

Winner Game # 17 Vs. Winner Game # 18

Dave Blackburn
Director

2003 Best of The West
Men's Fastpitch Tournament
Email: daveb@virtvent.com