Tournament Coverage by Bob Otto

[Oceanside-July 19, 2003] -Veterans lead Casa Trejo to number one seed in Ortega Memorial

By Bob Otto / Yucaipa, CA

The Casa Trejo Bombers of Yucaipa proved Saturday that practice is sometimes over rated. Especially if your line up is full of veterans climbing over the age 45 mark. Casa Trejo finished Saturday's round robin play in the Ron Ortega Memorial tournament with a 3-1 record to nail down the number one seed in Sunday's single elimination playoffs to determine the tournament's champion. And three of those games were decided in extra innings.

Tired and rusty? Yes and no said Casa Trejo's 47-year-old player-manager, Frank Jimenez. "This is our second time out (tournament) this year," he said. "We haven't played much, but most of us have been together for 25 years. We can hit and play defense. It doesn't take us long to get it going."

But four games in a row, is a bit much, admitted Jimenez. And the first three all took extra innings to decide. Casa Trejo opened the tournament with a 5-4 win over San Diego Fastpitch in eight innings; followed by a 6-2, nine-inning win over a tough Agvilas of Tijuana, Mexico; and a 4-1 eight-inning loss to Hal's Sports Shop before knocking off the SoCal Bucks 4-3 in their final game of the day. The Bombers entered the tournament to tune up for the upcoming ASA Masters Over 40 and Over 45 national tournaments, said Jimenez.

In other action, San Diego Fastpitch proved that their ASA Class C ranking doesn't mean they can't compete against the higher ranked teams. Headed for the Class C national tournament next month, San Diego proved when you've got the pitching you're in the game. Dan Zupp hurled all four games for San Diego, and got better with each inning. Especially in knocking off the highly regarded SoCal Bucks, who head to the ISC World Tournament in August. Zupp pitched a real gem in notching a 2-1 win in his second game - right after losing a heart breaker to Casa Trejo 5-4 in eight innings. Zupp, 49, just got better with each pitch in the hot, humid Oceanside air. "I felt looser as I went along," said Zupp. "The ball was jumping good. This is the first time we've played at this level. Those guys (Bucks) are rated 22 or 23 (ISC rankings). This is a big upset for us, in my opinion." Terry Brightwell knocked in the game-winner to bring San Diego's season record to 24-15.

"These teams are good, but we thought we could hold our own," said San Diego player/manager," John Nuanes. Hal's Sports Shop, led by the pitching of Cary Weiler and Russ Snow, displayed a good mix of young players and veterans in finishing Saturday with a 2-2 record. After getting blasted 10-2 by Agvilas of Tijuana, Mexico, in their opener, Hal's lost a tough 1-0 decision to the SoCal Bucks and looked headed at 0-2 for the exit door. But behind the pitching of Weiler (4-1, 8-inning win over the Bombers) and Snow, with an 8-2 win over city-rival San Diego Fastpitch, they got back into Sunday's hunt.

With Saturday's play finished, four of the five teams enter Sunday's playoffs to settle the championship.

Sunday's Seeding: Seed #1 Bombers vs Seed #4, Hal's
Seed #2 Bucks vs Seed #3 Agvilas
Games begin at 10:30 with the championship scheduled for Noon.

Saturday's scores:
Agvilas, Tijuana 10, Hal's Sports Shop 2
Casa Trejo Bombers 5, San Diego Fastpitch 4 (8 innings)
Casa Trejo Bombers 6, Agvilas 2 (9 innings)
SoCal Bucks 1, Hal's Sport Shop 0
San Diego Fastpitch 2, SoCal Bucks 1
Hal's Sports Shop 4, Casa Trejo Bombers 1 (8 innings)
Casa Trejo Bombers 4, SoCal Bucks 3
Agvilas 4, San Diego Fastpitch 2
Hal's Sports Shop 8, San Diego Fastpitch 2
SoCal Bucks 4, Agvilas 0
 

[Oceanside -July 18, 2003]-  Ron Ortega Memorial Tournament is ready to roll

Six teams kick off the annual Ortega men's fastpitch tournament, Saturday, with games beginning a 10 a.m. and scheduled about two hours a part. The final game Saturday starts at 4 p.m. Sunday's single elimination round starts at 10:30 with the championship slated for Noon.

All six teams are rated ASA Class A or Open, and present some of the finest talent in southern California and Mexico. Along with providing an outstanding venue for good fastpitch, the non-profit tournament raises money for the American Cancer Society.

For fastpitch fans and players, weather conditions don't get much better than at Oceanside's (Calif.) Martin Luther King, Jr. ball park. The park is located just minutes from the coast with it's cooling breeze, splashed with warm sunshine. Ideal for players, ideal for fans.
 

Directions: From Interstate 5, traveling north or south, turn east on Hwy. 76. Take 76 to College Ave and turn right. Follow College to Mesa Street and turn right and travel about one mile to the ball park. From the 15 Freeway, turn west on 76; left on College; right on Mesa.

If you have questions, or want to stop by and help, or make a donation to the American Cancer Society, call tournament director, Brian McNaughton, at (760) 212-6774.