17-Expos

   What a great game baseball is. Something you may never have seen before ALWAYS seems to happen. It did on December 11 at Dyer Park in Riviera Beach.

  The 18AAA division All Star game, rained out on Dec. 5, was rescheduled for Dec. 11, but had to overcome some problems to play the game. Due to a scheduling miscommunication, no umpires were assigned to the game. While the field, apparently, had been dragged, there was a huge puddle behind home plate, making it difficult for catchers. Thirdly, both teams had problems getting pitchers to participate, and some rule changes involving innings limitations had to be invoked. One by one, the problems were worked out. Veteran umpire Hector Cruz was contacted and after he tried, unsuccessfully, to get other umpires to the game, he decided to make the trip from his home in Boynton Beach to suburban Riviera Beach.

     Meanwhile, Dave Salley of the winning American Division and the South Florida Beach Bums, agreed to work as a lone umpire behind the pitching mound and did a fine job for almost three complete innings until Cruz arrived and took the standard position behind the plate. One of the fans brought a rake along and by the third inning, catchers Ryan Togher (Beach Bums) and Jose Chinea (Manatees, Nationals) smoothened things out behind the plate to make it playable. Umpire Cruz also picked up the rake to help out.

     As for pitching, Manatees' ace Danny LaPerna, the only regular pitcher assigned to either team, pitched the first three innings and held the Americans to one unearned run and finished his tour with the game tied ast 1-1. On the other side, John Dolan (Thunder) pitched three hitless innings for the Americans, but allowed a run on two walks, a stolen base and a double play grounder that brought Justin Irby (Bandits) across the plate. 

  The Americans posted two runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth as Nationals manager Brian Fitzsimmons was forced to the mound due a pitcher shortage was touched for the five runs on seven hits. The Americans brought in Christian Cancio, who doesn't pitch regularly with his league team, the Senators. He did a nice job for five innings, limiting the Nationals to three runs on five hits. Coupled with an RBI double and a fielder's choice RBI, Cancio was chosen as the game's Most Valuable Player.

  With a 6-4 lead, the Americans scored a run in the 7th on three walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch, all by the Tigres' Martin Suarez, then exploded for five in the 8th inning and three walks, and four hits. Suarez gave up three more walks, and a two run single to Dolan. Tigres' teammate, Nick Adames, gave up a run scoring double to Eric Morales (Thunder), an RBI hit by BJ Smith (Thunder), a single to Charlie Pacheco (Beach Bums) and Cancio's run scoring grounder.

  The game had to be halted by a local 10PM curfew, resulting in the field lights having to be turned off before the 9th inning could start.  That's another thing, lights are turned on and off on Palm Beach County fields by a national lighting company in IOWA.   

  Who says baseball isn't fun?

AA ALL STAR GAME - WEDNESDAY, DEC. 4, 2013 - AT DYER PARK, RIVIERA BEACH

NATIONALS 12 AMERICANS 3

The National All Stars, led by players from the first place Nationals, scored six runs in the sixth inning to beat the Americans, topped by the second place Sugar Kings 12-3 at Dyer Park in suburban Riviera Beach.  Chris Alicea copped MVP honors by going two for two with a pair of run scoring doubles, a base on balls and stolen base.  He added three shutout innings on the mound, in which he fanned five batters and allowed only one hit.  Nationals' teammate Tyler Wampler got credit for the pitching win, pitching two complete innings in relief of starter Austin Souther, who allowed two of the three Americans' runs with a wild inning-plus, in which he issued six walks.  Wampler struck out four in his relief stint.  Catcher Victor Monteagudo (Nationals) had two RBI singles in two official bats and Mike Alfinez (Nationals) drove in two runs with a pair of singles.  Alfinez, who leads the AA division pitchers with a 6-1 record, finished up the game by striking out the side in the 7th and final inning as the teams ran up against the three hour time limit. 

The Americans managed only three hits.  Yandri Cabrera (Sugar Kings), Juan De La Paz (Colt 45s) and Carlos Sotolongo (Sugar Kings) had singles.  Americans' players struck out fifteen times against the four Nationals' hurlers.  The losing pitcher was Joshua Rivera (Colt 45s), who gave up five runs, four of them unearned.  Joe Mazzeo and Alex Williams (both Marlins) followed him to the hill.  .Nine of the Nats' twelve runs were unearned as the American squad committed four costly errors.   The 18AAA All Star game was postponed on December 5 due to heavy rains and wet gournds at Dyer Park.  It has been rescheduled for Dec. 11.  Scroll down for details. 

 

PALM BEACH LEAGUE VETERAN RENAULT FIRES SHUTOUT TO WIN 18+ TITLE

     Nick Renault, who has pitched for several seasons with the Palm Beach League's Beach Bums, threw a five-hit complete game shutout to lead the New York Mariners to their second straight championship in the 18+ division title game at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter.  Renault, who has been the MVP in the German Professional League the last two years, fanned eight in hurling the Mariners to a 5-0 win over the Tampa Bay Thunder.  He also contributed a pair of singles in the New York victory. 

     The Mariners scored two runs in the first inning and added three more in the second to give Renault all the support he needed.  Renault was honored as the game's Most Outstanding Player and received several awards.  Mariners' third baseman Cheecho Vengoechea won the Gold Glove Award for his outstanding defense at the hot corner. 

     Renault's Beach Bums teammate, David Salley, was also part of the title squad, which ousted the top seeded Miami-Dade Marlins on Saturday 5-3 in a thrilling 11-contest in the Stadium.  The Marlins had four Palm Beachers on their roster, including outfielders Jimmy Efre and Max Johnson, pitcher Alex McEnaney and catcher/utility man Jose Chinea.

QUARTET OF PALM BEACHERS HELP WIN 25+ TITLE FOR UNBEATEN GIANTS

     Four Palm Beach League players helped lead the top seeded Born in a Cage Giants to a 12-3 victory over the number two seeded Dallas Redbirds.  Palm Beach veteran Rob Wiley banged out three of the Giants' 21 hits in the title game, while Guy Bichatcho, one of the team's organizers, posted a key two run single.  Danny LaPerna and Ryan Togher of the Palm Beach League, had made significant contributions to the team's title earlier in the tournament, in which the Giants wound up as the only unbeaten team, winning all seven of their games. 

     Jason Benson was the pitching star, hurling a complete game five hitter, with seven strikeouts, to win Most Outstanding Player honors.  All three runs he allowed were unearned as he and his teammates survived an eight error game.  The Redbirds had four miscues of their own.

     The Giants' smooth centerfielder, Mel Stocker, was the recipient of the Gold Glove awards for his flawless play.  The speedy Stocker also had two hits, including a single that turned into a "Little League" home run when the Redbirds committed a pair of misplays trying to stop the speedster from circling the bases.  Team manager and catcher Jose Garcia led the barrage with four hits, including a double and two runs batted in.   

TIGRES ADVANCE TO 18+ PLAYOFF, LOSE OUT TO TAMPA BAY TEAM

     The Palm Beach Tigres, a last minute entry into the NABA's World Championship Series at the Roger Dean Complex in Jupiter, gained the number three seeding on Saturday, November 2 with a 10-6 victory over the defending champion New York Mariners, but lost out in the 18+ division playoffs.  The Tigres, managed by Santos Adames, wound up 3-2 in pool play, only to lose to the Tampa Bay Thunder 7-1 in the semifinal.  The team was organized by the league to replace the Florida Cardinals, who dropped out in late October, and acquitted itself quite well.  Rick Schnur of the Palm Beach League's South Florida Beach Bums was the winning pitcher in the victory over the Mariners, dropping the New Yorkers to the number four seeding, but going on to the 18+ division championship.

     For complete Florida WCS results, log on to the NABA's national web site at www.dugout.org.    

SPRING 2013

TIGRES MAUL MANATEES TO ANNEX 9TH LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP

GATORS NIP THUNDER IN 12TH FOR THIRD CROWN

Two long time rivals met again for the 18AAA Spring 2013 championship on Sunday, September 8 at the Santaluces Complex in Lantana, and thie time it was Tigres doing the growling, rapping out 14 hits en route to a 12-5 victory.  It was the ninth league championship for the Tigres. 

Two of the Tigres produced four hit games, including shortstop Luis Mejia and first sacker Rob Conver.  Mejia smashed a pair of doubles and two singles, legging out one of the doubles on outfield throws and crossing home plate to highlight a four run outburst in the sixth inning that gave the Tigres the lead for good at 6-2.  Although the Manatees scored three of their own in the 7th to cut the margin to 6-5, it was essentially all Tigres from there.  They posted three run innings in both the 8th and 9th frames.  Mejia, who drove in four runs and scored three times was chosen as the championship game's  Most Valuable Player award. 

The Tigres four run 6th broke open a tight pitcher's duel between the Tigres' Wilson Ciprian and the Manatees' Danny LaPerna.  Ciprian wound up going the distance, giving up only five hits and two earned runs.  He struck out ten and survived four walks and two hit batsmen.  LaPerna left after six innings, charged with six runs, four of them earned.  He struck out six.  Steven Hibbs pitched only 1/3 of an inning, walking three batters.  Mike Wood got out of that jazm, but the Tigres added six runs off him, including four "earnies". 

(CORRECTED VERSION BELOW)

The 18AA title game was decided in the bottom of the 12th inning when pinch runner Junior Gazquez dashed home from third base on a passed ball to give the Gators a 2-1 victory.  Pinch hitting for the the ninth hitter in the Gators' lineup, Carlos Penagos, Ernesto Leon, led off the inning with a ringing double to left field, and the team inserted Gazquez, the starting pitcher who went 9 innings with a no decision to pinch run for Leon.  Gazquez moved to third on an infield out, and scored after the Thunder intentionally walked Jordan Gazquez, and Eduardo Del Toro was hit by a pich.  Gazquez raced home when catcher Jason Russianoff had az high pitch pop out of his glove, and just beat Russianoff's throw to pitcher Alex McEnaney covering the plate in a very close call. 

The two teams battled to a 1-1 tie until the fateful 12th inning.  The Thunder scored in the third inning on an infield hit by Steve Arnold, sacrifice bunt by Russianoff, and an RBI hit by John Dolan.  The Gators tied it in the bottom of the 5th on Yasmany Jimenez' run scoring single.  Yosvany Garcia had walked and stolen second off Thunder's starter, Jeff Tomlinson, and scored on Jimenez' base hit. 

Reliever Ronald Diaz got the win pitching three scoreless innings in relief of Junior Gazquez, who was selected as the game's MVP.  Diaz pitched hitless ball with a pair of strikeouts.  Gazquez fanned four ad survived a bases loaded no out jam in the top of the 8th inning, but settled for a no decision.  Tomlinson gave up only five hits with five strikeouts and two walks.  McEnaney suffered the tough luck loss, going 4 1/3 innings and giving up only winning run, which was unearned because of the passed ball. 

The Gators were winning their third AA championship, including their second straight.  Under league eligibility rules, the team must move up to the AAA division if they enter the Fall 2013 league, which will open on October 13. 

HOW THE FINAL FOUR GOT THERE

PLAYOFF RESULTS AUGUST 25, 2013

At Roger Dean St.Louis Cardinals Complex, Jupiter

Seedings in Parentheses  

Cardinals #2-Game 1-AA North Quarterfinal-9:30AM -(4) Orioles 7 (1) Gators 13

Cardinals #3-Game 2-AA North Quarterfinal-9:30AM (3) Marlins 6 (2) Hitmen 2

Cardinals #4-Game 3-AA South Quarterfinal-9:30AM (4) Leones 1 (1) Thunder 7

Cardinals #5--Game 4 AASputh Quarterfinal-9:30AM (3) Nationals 11 (2) Colt 45s 4

Cardinals #2-Game 5-AA North Semifinal-1:30PM-(3) Marlins 2 (1) Gators 14

Cardinals #3-Game 6-AA South Semifinal-1:30PM-(2) Nationals 2 Thunder 14

Cardinals #4--Game 7-AAA Semifinal-1:30PM-(4) Beach Bums 2 at (1) Manatees 3 

Cardinals #5-Game 8-AAA Semifinal-1:30PM-(3) Badgers 1 at (2) Tigres 2 

NABA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ARIZONA

Over 18 Divisions October 3-6, 2013

Contact the NABA National Office at 800-621-6479 for other divisions’ dates and to enter

NABA FLORIDA WORLD SERIES

Thursday, October 31-Sunday, Nov. 3, 2013

Contact the NABA National Office at 800-621-6479 to enter

PALM BEACH BEACH SPRING 2013 FINAL REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS

18AAA           W  L  T   PCT    GB           

Manatees-DP    14  5  1   .725           -

Tigres-P       14  6  0  .700  0.75

Badgers-P      10  9  2  .524  3.75

Beach Bums-P    7 10  3  .425  5.50    

Senators        2 17  2  .143 11.75

P-Clinched playoff berth D-Division Winner

==========================================================================

18AA North      W  L  T   PCT    GB

Gators-DP      17  3  0  .850     -

Hitmen-P       10  8  2  .550  5.50     

Marlins-P       8 10  2  .450     7.50

Orioles-P       8 10  1  .447     7.75         

Sugar Kings     8 11  1  .425     8.25

Dodgers         7 13  0  .350 10.00    

D-Division Winner

P-Clinched playoff berth

18AA South      W  L  T   PCT    GB

Thunder-DP     14  4  1  .763     -  

Colt 45s-P     14  5  0  .737  0.75 

Nationals-P    10  7  2  .575  3.25

Leones-P        9  8  1   .528     4.50 

Expos           5 14  0  .263  9.75  

Angels          1 18  0  .053 13.75

D-Division Winner 

P-Clinched playoff berth

 

TIGRES/BEACH BUMS COMBO SQUAD PREVAILS IN TRIPLE A ALL STAR GAME

The American All Stars held off the Nationals 9-6 in the 18AAA All Star game Thursday, June 13 at Dyer Park in Riviera Beach.  

In the first two innings, it looked like the Nationals, featuring players from the Badgers and Manatees would blow the Americans, consisting of Tigres and Beach Bums representatives, right off the field.

They jumped on starter Miguel Pena for seven runs in his three innings of work, with two in the first and two in the second inning. Danny Miranda (Badgers) tripled to lead off the game, and scored on a single by Badgers' teammate Eduardo Godines. Godines stole second base and scored on a hit by the Badgers' Josh Broadwater. Three hits and a catcher's throwing error on a pickoff attempt at third base accounted for two more runs in the second. 

Danny Laperna and Drew Davis, both Manatees, singled, with LaPerna scoring on Miranda's RBI single, and Davis scoring on the errant throw at third base. 

The Americans came back with three in the second inning on an infield hit by the Tigres' Jose Carea, who went to second on an infield throwing error.  Nick Adames of the Tigres singled him in and scored on a booming triple to right by the Beach Bums' Steve Caraccio.  Caraccio scored on an infield error to chop the Nationals' lead to 4-3. 

The Americans scored without a hit to tie it in the third inning on an infield error, two walks, a stolen base and two wild pitches.  They took the lead for good in the fourth inning on a hit by Ryan Togher (Beach Bums), a wild pitch, an infield out and another wild pitch. 

In the fifth, the Americans widened their lead to 8-4 with three runs. A walk to Joe Davis (Bech Bums), an error and a two run single by the Beach Bums' Lars Knepper gave them their four run lead.  Rob Conver of the Tigres doubled, went to third on a wild pitch and stole home to make it 9-4.  

American All Star pitchers mowed the Nationals down from the third to seventh innings on only one hit and posting eleven strikeouts.  Conver (2IP, 1H, 3Ks), Knepper (1IP, 0H, 2Ks)  and Davis (2IP, 0H, 1W, 6Ks) kept the Nationals off the board. 

The National squad got their final two runs in the ninth off Gustavo Lopez (Tigres).  After a scoreless 8th, Lopez was touched for a pair on a single by Matt Zelgewitz (Badgers), an RBI double by Broadwater, his third hit of the game, and a sacrifice fly by the Badgers' Roger Jimenez.  Lopez gave up a bunt single to Justin Irby (Badgers), but settled down to strike out the last two batters to end the game.  

Conver of the Tigres was selected as the game's Most Valuable Player.  He was the winning pitcher with two scoreless innings, scored three runs, stole two bases and had a two bagger.       

18AA--WILDNESS LEADS TO WILD NINE RUN INNING

The South squad, led by the division leading Thunder, came to the All Star game Wednesday, June 12 with a severe shortage of pitching and it showed as the North team, headed up by the Gators, who also are division leaders, scored a 14-2 romp at Dyer Park in Riviera Beach.

The South put the first tally on the board in the top of the second inning with an unearned run.  Dargel Gomez (Colt 45s) reached first on an error, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an infield roller by his Colt 45s teammate Luis Martinez.  After that, the fortunes turned.

In the bottom of the third, the South took a 3-1 lead when Joe Mazzeo (Marlins) walked, stole second and scored on a base hit by Marlins' teammate Steve Mulligan, who eventually scored on a wild pitch and an infield error.  Carlos Jimenez (Gators) singled in the third run of the inning. 

It was the fateful fourth inning when things came completely apart for the South.  Five walks, two wild pitches, a hit batter, two errors, a two run single by winning pitcher Alex Williams (Marlins), and RBI hits by Yosvany Garcia (Gators), Mike Roy (Dodgers) and Jiminez resulted in nine runs in a 15-batter inning that pretty much sealed the game. 

After the South scored it's only other run  in the top of the fifth on a double by Martinez and an RBI single by Jose Resendiz (Colt 45s), the North made it 13-2 on a walk, two hit batters and a catcher's throwing error on a pickoff attempt in the bottom of the fifth.    

Gators' first baseman Eduardo Del Toro almost ended the game on a "run rule" with a booming double that just missed clearing the fence in deep left center field.  Del Toro settled for a double, and eventually scored on two wild pitches in the bottom of the 7th, as the league's 12-run differential rule after seven inning kicked in to end the game. 

Williams got the win, the loss went to South starter Tony Sergio (Colt 45s), although the "bullpen" gave up eleven of the 14 North runs.  Williams went four, with Ronal Diaz (Gators) pitching the last three.  The South used three other pitchers. 

Jimenez, who was 3 for 4 with two runs batted in, was selected as the game's Most Valuable Player.