Bucks patchwork lineup takes Ortega crown

By Bob Otto /Yucaipa, CA (click link at left for Bob's Photos)

[Oceanside-July 20, 2003] -They were stitched and pieced together like an odds and ends patchwork quilt, but for the SoCal Bucks of Santa Barbara, that kind of lineup proved good enough to win.  The Bucks, minus over half their lineup, held off the Casa Trejo Bombers of Yucaipa, 4-3, to claim the Ron Ortega Memorial tournament in Oceanside, Calif., Sunday, July 20.   “This was a make shift, patchwork together weekend,” said Bucks’ Manager, Clyde Bennett. “We had three guys play with us who never played with us before.”

Even with the absence of some of its key players, the Bucks still had enough to cool off the hot-hitting Bombers. The Bombers entered Sunday’s championship with a pool-play record of 3-1 and the number one seed. And their bats were sizzling. In Sunday morning’s semi-final, Casa Trejo bombed Hal’s Sports Shop 9-2 and appeared poised to take the crown.

The Bucks, on the other hand, finished 2-2 in pool play, and after a nearly disastrous 1-2 start, had their backs against the wall late Saturday night. But with a 4-0 shutout of Agvilas of Tijuana, Mexico, the Bucks rebounded to claim the number two seed. “We started coming together the more we played,” said Bennett.

The Bucks took an early 1-0 lead on John Simmons’s bloop single that scored Aaron Owens, who had doubled to lead off the second inning. Meanwhile, Mark Higgins retired 10 straight Bombers into the fourth. But Frank Jimenez finally broke Higgins’s perfecto with a one-out single. After Jimenez stole second, Robert Renteria doubled to bring him home and tie the score.

The Bombers struck again in the fifth to take a 2-1 lead. Ralph Roybal lined a sharp single into center field and took second on a throwing error. After Mike Fisher bunted Roybal to third, Frank Mestas singled to bring in Roybal with the go ahead run.  With the lead, Lonnie Brooks appeared on the verge of notching his fifth tournament win. Brooks was the hottest pitcher in the tournament. He had beaten the Bucks 4-3 in pool play on a four-hit, nine strike out gem, allowing but one earned run. And with his sweeping rise ball and knuckle ball, Brooks looked strong enough to knock off the Bucks again.  But then Brooks’ right arm started running on empty and the Bucks jumped on him for three runs on four hits in the fifth to take the lead for good.

After Dan Winnick and Clayte Robinson singled to open the fifth, Joe Vigil punched a double over a drawn in infield to plate Winnick. Owens then launched a fly ball to center deep enough to score Robinson. Steve Gritts followed with a double scoring Vigil to finish off Brooks and the Bombers. “Lonnie got tired, and I should have taken him out,” said Bombers’ Manager, Frank Jimenez. “I got tired and my control went off and they put the ball in play,” said Brooks. “This is the most I’ve thrown all summer.”

The Bombers added their final run in the sixth on YoYo Cruz’ deep fly ball to left field that scored Cheto Aldama. But Higgins toughened and finished off the Bombers with a clean seventh to pick up the win and bring his tourney record to 2-1. The hard throwing Arizona right-hander avenged his 3-4 loss to the Bucks in pool play by mixing his drop and rise ball well. He allowed two earned runs on five hits, along with three strikeouts. Of the 26 batters he faced, he retired 12 on fly balls, five on ground balls, and walked only one. A good seven innings of work considering that outside of a 4-1 loss to Hal’s Sport Shop, the Bombers had averaged six runs a game against some pretty respectable Class A pitching.

Although disappointed in finishing second after claiming the number one seed, Jimenez said that the tournament was just what his veteran team of mostly over age 40 needed. “This was a great tournament, even teams,” he said. “I like the make up of my team. We hung around pretty good with those young guys. This is our second time out together and we are gearing up for the (ASA) Over 40 and Over 45 tournaments. This was good for Lonnie (Brooks). He needs the work for the nationals.”  And Brooks probably got more than he bargained for. He worked 29 innings, notched 45 strikeouts, and hung a miserly 1.45 ERA on his foes. He easily picked up the Most Valuable Pitcher award. “I got a lot of innings – more than I’m used too,” said Brooks. “We’ve got excellent hitters and we play good defense. I like our chances in the (over) 40 and 45.”

Bucks slapper and lead off batter, Dan Winnick, claimed the Most Valuable Player award with a .316 batting average (6-for-19), three runs scored and some great defense in centerfield. “He made some catches that were unbelievable,” said Bennett. “He’s very, very quick.”

Winnick, in just his third year of playing fastpitch full time, has quickly developed an appreciation for the game. “It’s a blast to play for these guys,” said the 25-year-old speedster. “This is my first full year playing this game and I love it. I played Division One baseball at Hartford and you can’t get seriously tough competition like (fastpitch) except in minor league baseball.”

With the Ortega wrapped up, Bennett now moves on to preparing his team for the ISC World Tournament in Kimberly, Wisconsin. He says that next weekends Best of The West tournament at the Soboba Reservation near San Jacinto should find his team at full strength. “We should have everybody there, especially after seeing how well we did (without them) this weekend,” he said.

The Bucks reached the final by knocking off Agvilas of Tijuana 4-3. Mark Bennett, coming off an Achilles injury that has sidelined most of his season, gave up five hits and struck out 12. But it got interesting in the seventh. Trailing 4-1 with two out, Agvilas’s Pedro Ornelas jolted a two-run home run to tighten the contest before Bennett slammed the door by striking out Ismael Melendrez to end the game.

For Agvilas, the tournament was a venture into new territory. “We’ve never played in a tournament above the border,” said Agvilas Manager, Toufic Hourani. “This is our first time here ever. The guys enjoyed it.”  Hourani said his team plays in a 10-team Tijuana league and tournaments, but plans more trips into the U.S. to play better competition. “We are a young team in our 20’s,” he said. “We make base running mistakes and errors that hurt us against the Bucks. (But) it is good competition, a lot of fun.”

The Bombers had an easier time of reaching the championship by hammering Hal’s Sport Shop, 9-2 in a run-ruled six innings. With five runs in the first and four in the sixth, the Bombers never were tested. Brooks again pitched well, striking out 13, and allowing five hits. Eight of nine Bombers had at least one hit in their 13-hit attack. 

Saturday’s Pool Play results:

Agvilas, Tijuana 10, Hal’s Sport Shop 2

Casa Trejo Bombers 5, San Diego Fastpitch 4

Casa Trejo 6, Agvilas 2

SoCal Bucks 1, Hal’s 0

SD Fastpitch 2, Bucks 1

Hal’s 5, Casa Trejo 1

Casa Trejo 4, Bucks 3

Agvilas 4, SD Fastpitch 2

Hal’s 8, SD Fastpitch 2

Bucks 4, Agvilas 0

For details of Saturday's games, click "Saturday Recap" at left.