San Diego Knights

The Knights have won back to back to back to back championships.

Standing from Left to Right: Dustin Row, Jackson Chapelone, JR Scheibe, Ryan Holly, Sean Moran, Britton Scheibe and Jacob Scheibe (batboy)
Kneeling from Left to Right: Mike Scharbarth, Nick Nunez, John Wagner, Marco Hanlon and Scott Saalfeld

In an incredible day of baseball, the San Diego Knights completed the Summer 2009 season by capturing their 5th consecutive league title, and the 11th overall in 18 seasons of play.

In the semi-finals, the #1 seeded Knights faced the #4 seeded North County Storm.  The Knights have played more games vs. the Storm than any other opponent.  The games are always intense and this was no different.  The knights opened up a 3-0 lead but slowly the Storm chipped away before finally tying things up in the 8th.  In the bottom of the 11th inning, the Knights got back to back one out walks before Jackson Chapelone drove in the winner with a single to left.  Marco Hanlon pitched all 11 innings for the win in a clutch pitching performance with 12 strikeouts and only 1 earned run.  Offensively the Knights got two hits each from Nick Nunez, JR Scheibe and Chapelone.

In the finals, the Knights squared off vs. the San Diego Snappers.  Because of the close relationships of many of the players, this game was also very intense.  Semi-finals hitting star Jackson Chapelone got the start and allowed 4 runs in the 1st although 3 of the runs were unearned.  The Knights looked sluggish at the bat, not mustering much of anything until pushing a single run across in the 3rd to cut the lead to 4-1.  The Snappers added another run in the 6th to extend the lead to 5-1 which is where it stood until the bottom of the 8th.  The Knights got a 2 RBI single from Chapelone to cut the lead in half and proceeded to load the bases with no outs.  But the Knights could only push across one more to make it 5-4 heading into the 9th.  After Chapelone set the side down in order in the top half of the 9th, the Knights would need to score again to avoid the loss.  Sean Moran led off by getting hit by a pitch.  John Wagner would draw a walk to put men on 1st and 2nd with no outs.  A ground out by Scott Saalfeld would advance runners to 2nd and 3rd with one out.  After Britton Scheibe was intentionally walked to set up a double play, Jackson Chapelone came through with a sacrifice fly to center to send the game to extra innings yet again.  The Snappers again would push an unearned run across in the top of the 10th, and the Knights would again need to come through in the clutch.  Ryan Holly led off the bottom of the 10th with a single to right.  After being sacrificed to second by Dustin Row, JR Scheibe laced a single to left which would score Holly to again knot the game at 6-6.  Jackson Chapelone who went the distance, would set the Snappers down in the 11th and 12th to set up the decisive bottom half of the inning.  With one out, JR Scheibe lined a single to right and was replaced by Holly to run at 1st.  Nick Nunez sent a sharply hit ball to second which was not handled for an error putting runners at 1st and 2nd with one out.  Sean Moran flew out to right for the second out and John Wagner drew a walk to load the bases for Scott Saalfeld.  It was Saalfelds error in the 10th which allowed the Snappers to regain the lead, so know it was his turn for redemption.  After working the count in his favor to 3-1, Saalfeld let a borderline pitch go at the knees which was called a ball and the Knights would have their second walk off win of the day.  It wasn't easy but this game showed the attitude and character of team that did not give up despite the odds facing them.  The Snappers played a great game and would have been equally as deserving of the win, but it wasn't meant to be this day.  Offensively the Knights were led by Scott Saalfelds 3 hits and 2 walks including the game winner.  JR Scheibe, also came through with what eventually would be the game winning run as well as the big RBI in the 10th to tie it.  The knights finished the year at 13-1-2 and now are getting ready to compete in the 2009 MABL World Series in Arizona.  2 members of the North County Storm as well as 4 San Diego Snappers will join forces with the Knights to try to take down the title.  Another successful season is in the books.  

The San Diego Knights picked up where the left off the previous two seasons, winning back to back to back championships.  This summer, the Knights completed a 16-0 season, the second time in history they have gone undefeated (16-0 Spring 2004). 

 While the Knights played solidly all year in all aspects of the game, there can be no denying that it was pitching that got them to the top.  Led by Marco Hanlon, who completed perhaps the greatest season in Knights History, the former Cal State Fullerton star went 7-0 with a 0.00 ERA for the season over 51 innings.  Going back to the Spring 2008 season, Marco has not allowed an earned run in over the last 67 2/3 innings.  He struck out 38 while only walking 8 and picked up the win in the Championship game.  In games Hanlon pitched, only 5 runs scored and all were unearned.  Not to be outdone Jackson Chapelone certainly pulled his weight logging 56 innings, while going 6-0 with a 0.64 ERA.  Chapelone struck out 60 batters on the season while walking only 14. 

Offensively the Knights were led by Shane Hobbs (.400, 11 RBI), Mike Scharbarth (.400, 12 Runs, 11 RBI) and Scott Saalfeld (.268 12 RBI). 

In the post season the Knights faced the Devils, a team the Knights have never lost to in it's history and continued the trend with an 8-0 victory.  Chapelone pitched all 9 shutting out Tri Cities.  In the Championship the Knights played their old nemesis the Clout and behind another brilliant outing by Marco Hanlon, the Knights prevailed 9-2. 

After 16 season of play the Knights captured their 9th championship.  With most of the squad returning for Spring 2009, there is plenty of reason for optimism going forward.

After battling to claim the #2 seed in the play-offs, the San Diego Knights successfully defended the Wood Bat Championship title by defeating the San Diego Storm 2-0 in 11 innings.  Marco Hanlon pitched brilliantly in the post season, logging all 20 innings, posting a 2-0 record and a 0.90 ERA over the two games.  In the championship game, the Knights escaped disaster in the bottom of the 10th, when Hanlon struck out the Storm's 3 and 4 hitters with the bases loaded and 1 out.  This allowed the Knights an opportunity to push the winning runs across in the top of the 11th.  Scott Saalfeld led things off with a single and was sacrificed to 2nd by Britton Scheibe.  Freddie Carrillo floated his 2nd hit of the day over first base to break the ice.  Scheibe, running for Carrillo, stole 2nd and scored on Aaron Kinard's single up the middle for a 2 run cushion.  That was all Hanlon would need as he shut the door in the bottom of the 11th, securing the Knights 8th championship in 15 seasons.  The knights advanced to the championship after defeating the North County Nuggs 5-2 a week earlier. 

The summer season begins in a few weeks and the Knights will look to make it back to back to back titles.  With everyone returning and a couple new additions, they should have a great opportunity to do so!