Conejo Angels
2004 Summer Season
Federal Division Champions


PCBL Federal Division Championship

Sunday, 8/29/04 - 10:00PM @ JetHawk Stadium

Phillies -vs- Conejo Angels

Game Summary
By Scot Sweet

Once again, the Pacific Coast Baseball League had the ultimate pleasure of holding the PCBL Championship at beautiful Jethawk Stadium in Lancaster. Whether you were playing or just spectating this past Sunday, “the Hanger” has proven once again to be the prime facility for our coveted championship and will continue to be for years to come.

 

With the first game scheduled for a 10:05 start and temperatures already starting to creep into the low 90’s, it was apparent that this day at JetHawk Stadium would have one definite similarity from years past - the heat. But even searing temperatures weren’t enough to distract anyone from the main event on Sunday ……  championship baseball in “The Hangar“!

The first game of the day was the Federal Division Championship between the Phillies (16-3-1) against the Conejo Angels (19-1). The visiting Phillies started off the game with their lead-off hitter, Kelvin Parker, reaching first by way of an error. Then, with two outs, clean-up hitter Steve Page drew a base on balls. With two men on, Jeff Leggett singles to bring home Kelvin Parker; Phillies draw first blood, 1-0. Terence Parker follows Leggett with a hit of his own - a double; scoring Page and Leggett, to increase the Phillies lead to 3-0.

The score remained 3-0 going into the top of the 3rd inning. Brian Adler started off the inning for the Phillies by reaching 1st base on a fielding error. Jonny Matlick followed with a single to put two on with nobody out. Steve Page stepped to the plate next and promptly singled in Adler, who was followed home by Matlick due to a fielding error. Two runs in the inning - 1 unearned; as the Phillies extend their lead early, by a score of 5-0.

With a 5-0 going into the top of the 5th inning, Jonny Matlick of the Phillies would lead off the inning with a single and would later advance on a fielder’s choice. He was then driven home by a Jeff Leggett single. The Phillies extend their lead to 6-0 through 4 1/2.

As they headed into the bottom of the 6th inning with the score still 6-0 Phillies, the Angels started with the top of their order, Brian Corralejo. He singles to start off the inning for the Angels. Two batters later, Charlie Hirsh comes up with 1 out and 1 on and he doubles to bring home Corralejo to get the Angels on the board, 6-1. Brother Robert Hirsh would soon follow with an RBI of his own, scoring his sibling with a single; Angels now trail 6-2.

The Phillies would come up empty in the top half of the 7th, leaving the door open for the Angels to try and close the 4-run gap. Center fielder Craig Fisher leads off for the Angels in the bottom of the 7th. He singles to bring up Josh Everland, who is pinch-hitting for Doug Meyers. Everland singles to put 2 on with nobody out. The next batter is the DH, Steve Ohara, who walks to load the bases.

Pitcher Raul Orrostieta is pulled following the walk to Ohara and is relieved by Kelvin Parker, who is inserted at a most difficult moment - with no outs and the bags full. The Angeles send up Robert Goldman off the bench to bat for John Wenzel in the #9 spot in the order. It is here that the Phillies ran into their biggest roadblock en route to securing a victory on this championship game day.

Consecutive wild pitches to Goldman move the runners up, scoring a quick 3 runs to cut the Phillies’ lead to 1, leading 6-5. Meanwhile, Goldman ran the count full, and on the 3-2 pitch was struck out. However, the ball got away from catcher John Lucas and Goldman advanced safely to 1st base on the past ball. Corralejo grounds out for the 1st out of the inning, bringing up Chad Olson, who gets on by way of a fielding error. The Angels would now have 2 on with 1 out and Charlie Hirsh coming to the plate with a run-scoring double in his last at bat. He duplicates the effort with another double to drive in 2, putting the Angels ahead for the first time in the contest, now up 7-6. Brother Bobby is next up with 1 down and 1 on in this extended 7th inning. He is pit by a pitch, which sends him to 1st and relief pitcher Kelvin Parker to the bench after a short 2/3 of an inning on the mound.

Trying to stop the bleeding, the Phillies send out Noe Garcia to replace Parker. Ryan Hamill comes to the plate and grounds out for the 2nd out of the inning, but gets the RBI when Charlie Hirsh scores on the play - Angels now lead 8-6. Curt Ruther is the next batter with 2 out and 1 on. He draws the walk, bringing up Craig Fisher, who started off the assault earlier, much earlier, in this 7th inning that would seemingly not end. Fisher walks to load the bases for Josh Everland. Everland singles home a pair to put the Angels ahead 10-6. Steve Ohara would fly out to end the inning, but the damage would be done. The Angels would send 13 batters to the plate in the 7th, scoring 8 huge runs and all but securing victory in this Federal Division Final.

Both teams would go scoreless in the 8th, bringing the Phillies up in the top of the 9th inning down by 4 big runs. The Phillies manage to get 2 hits in the inning, but they leave them stranded on the bases as 2 pop flies and a strike out would end the hopes for the Phillies. They allow a 6-0 lead in the 5th inning to evaporate, giving the Conejo Angels the crown as 2004 PCBL Federal Division Champions.

Aside from the offensive barrage in the 7th for the Angels, much can also be said for the Angels pitching. Brian Corralejo, the starter of record, went 6 complete innings and allowed 6 runs - 5 of them earned. Though he was hit early in the contest, he was still able to regroup and keep the game from getting out of reach. He was relieved in the 8th by Josh Everland, who in 3 innings of work allowed no runs on 3 hits and struck out 4.

Congratulations to the Federal Division Champion Conejo Angels for a great season and for staging such an incredible comeback at “The Hangar”! It was a great start to a great day at JetHawk Stadium!

Game Length:              10:05am - 12:57pm  (2 hrs 52 min)

 

Umpires:                     (HP) Ken Williams

                                    (1B) Murray Dubow

                                    (2B) Reese Morgan

                                    (3B) Rob “Scoop” Shapiro