Sun. 11/20 @ 1pm / Cal State Northridge
Aces (6-3-1) -vs- Sharks (8-2)
De Grasse goes the distance as Sharks attack Aces
by Scot Sweet / PCBL Staff Writer

SHARKS WIN BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK FALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
 
Quality pitching would once again prevail. This time it was courtesy of Tim DeGrasse, who held the Aces to 5 runs on 8 hits and registered an awesome 15 strikeouts in leading the Sharks to their 3rd straight Fall League Championship with an impressive 14-5 victory over the Aces at Cal State Northridge.

Of course, great teams don't win on pitching alone. The Sharks' offense showed up as well;  prdoucing 14 runs on 14 hits in the contest. The Sharks would jump out to an early 4-0 lead in the 1st inning, courtesy of a double by Marty Orosco, followed by RBI base hits by Alan Jaeger and Pierre Rodnunsky. They would add another run in the 3rd to take a 5-0 lead through 3 complete innings of play.

Not to be counted out, the Aces got on the board with 2 runs in the 4th inning, thanks to a lead off single by Oren Son and followed with an RBI double by Nate Dunlap and an RBI single by Ryan Yoshiwara. They added another 3 runs in the 6th to tie the game at 5, with hits on the part of Oren Son, Nate Dunlap and Ryan Yoshiwara once again.

However, it was at this point that Tim DeGrasse settled in to retire 9 of the next 11 batters to stop the scoring for the Aces for the remainder of the game. Meanwhile, the Sharks continued to pick away. They  scored 1 run in the 6th by way of an RBI double by Mark Glennie. They added a pair in the 7th with the help of a leadoff single by Robert Mendoza followed by RBI doubles by Jim Vatcher and Tim DeGrasse. Finally, the Sharks put themselves in cruise control with a big 6 run inning in the bottom of the 8th with the help of consecutive RBI doubles by Marty Orosco, Jim Vatcher, Tim DeGrass and Alan Jaeger; with base hits by Mark Glennie and Rob Schmidt for good measure. The 8th inning rally gave them the 14-5 lead and the eventual victory.

Here are a few of the major contributors to the offensive Shark attack ....
 
Marty Orosco 2 doubles, 1 RBI, Jim Vatcher back to back RBI doubles, 2 RBI's
 
Tim DeGrasse back to back RBI doubles, 2 RBI's, Alan Jaeger single, double, 2 RBI's
 
Mark Glennie single, double, 2 RBI's

All in all, it was a cavalier comeback for the Aces to tie the game at 5; but in the end it just wasn't enough to hold off the swarming Sharks. DeGrasse was just too strong on the mound and the Sharks offense just got stronger as the game progressed, especially when speaking of the bottom of the 8th inning, when the Sharks offense peaked with that string of 4 consecutive RBI doubles to seal their fate as 3 time AAA Fall League Champions!

Congratulations to the Sharks for an impressive victory to score the Championship Hat Trick!

Game Time: 1:05pm - 3:50pm (2'45")
 
Umpires: Phil Detro (Plate), Jeff Grijalva (Bases)
 
Game MVP: Tim DeGrasse Complete game, 5 runs (4 earned), 8 hits, 1 walk, 15 K's