2008 Summer Season
Single A Division Champions


2008 PCBL Single A Division Champions, Colt 45's

Shock & Awesome (3) (14-4) -vs- Colt 45's (1) (17-1)
August 24, 2008 @ Epicenter Stadium, Rancho Cucamonga


Video Highlights of the Game
 

It's Not Over 'til the Colt's Shane Lady Swings!!
By Scot Sweet / PCBL Staff Writer

It was back to Rancho Cucamonga and The Epicenter; home of the minor league Quake's; for this year's PCBL Summer Season Championships. It was the start of a clear, hot day at this stunning baseball stadium for the first game of our championship triple-header.
We start with the Single-A Division Championship between the #3 seeded Shock & Awesome (14-4) versus the top-seeded Colt 45's (17-1). Both teams are playing in their first PCBL Championships, with the Colt 45's riding an impressive 10-game winning streak as they enter as the home team in this championship contest.
 
The visiting Shock & Awesome (who we'll refer to as "Shock" from here on in) would be the first on offense in this championship. They led off with Jester Garcia who singled and then stole 2nd to start things off. The next two batters would be retired, bringing up Jesse Garcia who draws a walk. Kevin Jeppson steps to the plate with 2 out and 2 on. He gets an RBI single to put the Shock on the board first. The next batter is pitcher Clint Marcus, who gets an RBI single of his own to extend the Shock lead. They would settle for 2 runs and take an early 2-0 lead.
 
The score would remain 2-0 Shock as we enter the bottom of the 2nd inning. The Colt 45's send up Chris Zakosek who draws a leadoff walk. Steve Murphey would follow with a single and David Parnes would darw a walk. The next batter would ground into a double play, but with Zakosek scoring in the process. The Colt 45's would settle for a single run and trail the Shock by a score of 2-1 through 2 complete innings of play.
 
However, the Shock would get it in gear offensively in the top of the 3rd. With 1 out in the inning, leadoff hitter Jester Garcia would be hit by a pitch, putting 1 on with 1 out for Danny Platt who doubles home Garcia. The next batter would go down on strikes, bringing up Jesse Garcia who singles home Platt. The next 2 batters would walk to load the bases for Greg Granillo who singles home a run. The Shock end up with 3 runs in the inning and now lead the Colt 45's by a score of 5-1 through 2 1/2 innings of play.
 
But the 17-1 Colt 45's weren't laying down just yet. It's time to go to Tuber-Town. Rick Tuber leads off the inning with a walk. Sean Tuber would follow with a single, putting 2 on for yet another Tuber ... this time - Neil. He hits a sacrifice fly to right; scoring pinch runner Brandon Stewart from 3rd. Peter Tuber (4th to bat for the Tuber Tribe) ground out to3rd, bringing up Shane Lady with 2 out and 1 on. He singles home a run, giving the Colt 45's 2 runs in the inning; now trailing Shock by a narrow margin, down 5-3.
 
We would go scoreless for the next 3 innings, bringing Shock & Awesome up in the top half of the 7th inning; still clinging to the 2-run lead. The 1st Shock batter would fly out, bringing up Jester Garcia who singles. The next batter would go down on strikes, with the next batter being Robb Blank. He singles home Garcia. The Shock settle for a single run and now lead the Colt 45 squad by a score of 6-3 through 6 1/2 innings.
 
The Colt 45's would come up in the bottom of the 8th inning; still down by a 6-3 score. They had to know that time was running out and that they needed some offense fast. Peter Tuber would lead things off with a double to pave the way for Shane Lady who draws a walk. The next batter would pop out to 2nd, bringing up Steve Murphey who reaches safely by way of a fielding error. Up comes David Parnes with the bases loaded and 1 out in the inning; looking for his first hit of the game. He gets it at the best possible time with a 2-run double. Following David Parnes is Mike Louthian who was also looking for that first hit of the day. He also exhibits great timing with an RBI single of his own to tie the game at 6-6.
 
Shock & Awesome would fail to score in the top of the 9th; opening the door for the Colt 45's to try and shut the door on the Shock squad here in the bottom of the 9th inning. They lead off with Neil Tuber who reached by way of error twice and flied out twice in this contest. He singles to become the potential winning run in this championship contest. The next batter is brother Peter Tuber, who strikes out.
 
With one out and the winning run standing on 1st base, the Colt 45's send up Shane Lady. He hit an RBI single in the 3rd inning for his only hit of the ballgame ..... thus far. He's in the box ..... and the pitch ........
 
Lady sends a drive deep, deep to center field ........ the centerfielder is running towards the wall in the hopes of catching up to it ......... but it was not to be. His shot just clears the center field wall for a walk-off 2-run homer! The Colt 45's win it in dramatic fashion as Shane Lady (refer to headline) goes yard and the fat lady was indeed singing as he rounded the bases with fists pumping as his entire team rallied at home to meet him.
 
An incredible finish to a game that lasted 3 hours and 40 minutes; but ended with a bang!
Congratulations to the 2008 PCBL Summer Season Single A Champions on a great season and for providing us with one of the more exciting finishes to a PCBL Championship game than you will probably ever see!

 
Game Stats:                              R H E
Shock & Awe     2 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 6 8 4
       Colt 45's    0 1 2 0 0 0 0 3 2 8 9 3
 
Game MVP: Shane Lady
Dramatic 2-run Walk-off homerun in the bottom of the 9th inning
 
Defensive Play of the game
With nobody out in a 6-6 tie in the top of the 8th inning, Raymond Essapour is up to bat for Shock & Awesome. He hits a sinking fly ball to left center field which should have dropped in for a base hit, had it not been for center fielder Brandon Stewart who sprinted towards the ball and then got horizontal as he dove to make a brilliant catch while laid out; robbing Essapour of a leadoff hit and the potential go-ahead run.
 
Game Time: 9:30AM - 1:10PM (3 Hours, 40 Minutes)

 
Umpires: (1st Base) Reese Morgan
               (2nd Base) Gary Montalvo
                (3rd Base) Jim Antenucci
              (Home Plate) Kevin Mackelberg
 
Pitching Stats:
(WP) Chris Zakosek (Colt 45's) 
Complete game (allowed 6 runs on 8 hits, walked 9, 13 K's)
(LP) Clint Marcus (Shock & Awesome) 
6 innings (Allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, walked 6, 5 K's)
 

A special thanks to the crew:
PA Announcer: Mike Gulato
Scorekeeper: Scot Sweet
Photographer: Ric Cly
National Anthem performed by American Idol contestant Sherman Pore