2012 PCBL Spring Wood Bat Championship

Wed. 5/16 @ 7pm / El Cariso Park

Los Doyers (#4) -vs- Dragons (#2)

Dragons Slay Los Doyers to Claim Wood Bat Title

By Scot Sweet / PCBL Staff Writer

This years' Spring Wood Bat Championship between the Dragons and Los Doyers was played on a warm and clear evening at El Cariso Park in the Sylmar foothills.

The #2-seeded Los Doyers squad faced the #4-seeded Dragons for top honors in the wood bat division.

The Dragons came up to bat in the bottom of the 1st inning after Los Doyers failed to score in their 1st at bat of this championship. The Dragons get a man on base due to a fielding error. First baseman Pancho Enriquez hits a 1-out single to score the game's first run. Dragons up 1-0 though one complete.

Los Doyers comes to bat in the top of the 3rd inning; still trailing 1-0. Left fielder Lou Valencia draws a lead-off walk; followed by the top of the order, shortstop Gabe Lopez. He singles down the line in left. Catcher Lorenzo Ramos reaches base on a fielder's choice; with a run scoring on the play. Starting pitcher Travis Lopez helps his own cause with an RBI single to right. Los Doyers get 2 runs in the inning to take a 2-1 lead after 2 1/2 innings of play.

The Dragons come to bat in the bottom of the 4th inning; trailing 2-1. Leadoff hitter Oscar Salas singles to left to start things off for the Dragons. He steals 2nd base soon after. Two batters later, Pancho Enriquez reaches base on a fielding error, with a run scoring on the play. He's followed by Eric Melara who slaps an RBI double to right. The Dragons would settle for 2 runs in the inning; re-taking the lead by a score of 3-2 through 4 complete innings of play.

Los Doyers fails to score in the the top of the 5th inning; sending the Dragons up in the bottom of the 5th to try and expand on their 1-run lead in this championship. Victor Martinez leads off with a single. Tony Margolis reaches safely on a fielder's choice. Two batters later, Juan Salas draws a walk. He's followed by Oscar Salas who also walks; loading the bases for Bobbo Marcial who is hit by a pitch to force a run home. The Dragons settle for 1 run in the inning; now leading 4-2 though 5 complete.

But Los Doyers responds in the top of the 6th. Center fielder Tully Rankin, who singled and walked in his first 2 at bats, reaches base safely yet again; this time on a fielding error. Pinch hitter Tim Sitter (say that fast!) singles to left. Lou Valencia follows with an infield single. The bases are loaded for Gabe Lopez who walks to force in a run. The next batter is 2nd baseman Jason Surat. He grounds out; but gets an RBI as a run scores on the play. Los Doyers gets a pair of runs in the inning and they tie this game up at 4 apiece through 5 1/2 innings of play.

We move to the bottom of the 7th inning where the Dragons come to bat with this game still locked in a 4-4 tie. They start things off with Romero Jimenez who draws a leadoff walk. Jimenez steals second shortly thereafter. Victor Martinez doubles to left to score Jimenez from second. The next two batters are retired; sending up Juan Salas who draws a walk. Oscar Salas reaches due to a fielding error; with a run scoring on the play. Bobbo Marcial singles home another run. When all is said and done; 4 runs come across the plate for the Dragons in a breakout 7th inning; now leading 8-4 through 7 complete innings of play. That would prove to be the final score in this contest; as Los Doyers went down in order in the 8th and 9th innings.

Congratulations to the 2012 Spring Wood Bat Champion Dragons. They moved ahead for good following that big 4 run 7th; and they never looked back. The MVP in this Wood Bat Final was Dragons starting pitcher Mike Soto. Soto went the distance; allowing 4 runs on 10 hits with 3 walks and a big 9 strikeouts. Our game's MVP provided us with an unusual post-game celebration as the corks were popping on the El Cariso infield. He took the championship trophy in both hands and proceeded to run the bases at full speed; capping the celebration off with a feet-first slide into home plate as he held the trophy above his head. I got a chance to catch up to our MVP once his celebration had toned down a tad. I asked him how he felt as the game wore on. "I felt great", he said. "I appreciate being the MVP, but this win was a complete team effort. These guys behind me are solid and it made it alot easier for me to keep it going tonight".

Game Stats

Los Doyers   

0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0    4 10 4

1 0 0 2 1 0 4 0 -      8 9 1

(WP) Mike Soto (Dragons)          Complete Game; Allowed 4 runs on 10 hits, with 3 walks & 9 K's (Game MVP)

(LP) Travis Lopez (Los Doyers)    6 Innings pitched, Allowed 5 runs on6 hits, with 4 walks & 3 K's

Dragons' Offensive Stars

Oscar Salas        2 for 2; single, walk, 2 runs

Victor Martinez    2 for 3; single, double, RBI, 1 run

Bobbo Marcial     1 for 2; single, HBP, 2 RBI's, 1 run

      7:05pm - 9:45pm (2 hrs, 40 min)

Umpires:

      Justin Amit (Plate)

                    Andrew Marquez (Bases)