First Ever California Challenge All Star Series Does Indeed End with a Twist*
*As part of the "Pick-the-Winner Poll" at Fastpitch, voters could also
post comments. One proved to be Nostradamus-like with this one, posted
5 days before the event:
can bakersfield end with a Twist? 10/09/06 10:17:17 AM MST
[BAKERSFIELD, CA] The California Lumberkings hosted the first ever
"California Challenge", a best-of-three All Star Series boasting most
of the best players in California. (rosters below). The event was
headed up by Lumberkings manager David Weldin, assisted by players
Brian Teeters, Greg Hicks and other members of the team. Nate Devine
helped assemble the roster for the North. Half of the players on
each squad were from ISC World team rosters, while the other half were
ISC II level players.
ISC Top 10 team, the So Cal Bombers saw their pitching staff split up,
with Tony Peeples going to the North, and Travis Price to the South.
The North added A-1 Tank's Ed Gaspar, while the South added Portland's
Mark Bennett (who resides in Santa Barbara, Southern California).
The All Star series was held at Dave Frye Field in Bakersfield, CA,
with longtime ISC booster Dave Frye throwing out the first pitch to
former Dave Frye catcher, and present day ISC broadcaster, Ron
Chambers. Bakersfield, CA was a hotbed of fastpitch during the 1970's
and 1980's, with Dave Frye and Ed Smith Welding among their top teams.
The area is undergoing a fastpitch revival with the California
Lumberkings bringing the sport back front and center.
The California Challenge All Star event included special All-Star
jerseys provided by the Lumberkings' Brian Teeters, navy blue for the
North and red for the south, with a Bar-B-Q and ticket and T-shirt
sales providing a fund raiser for the California Lumberkings, who hope
to return to the ISC II Tournament of Champions in Kitchener, Ontario,
Canada, where they advanced to the second round of the playoffs in
2006.
*A "Pick-the-Winner" poll was held at Fastpitchwest.com in the days
leading up to the event, with the voting neck-and-neck until the final
tally of 113 to 103 favoring the North.
The best-of-three series was scheduled as a Saturday night
doubleheader, with a single game Sunday, "if necessary". As it
turned out, Game 3 was necessary.
The two teams proved to be very evenly matched, trading 6-5 wins in
Games 1 and 2 Saturday, with Sunday's rubber match to decide the
winner. Through 7 innings, it was tied 1-1, sending the game into the
international tie breaker. The North loaded the bases with nobody
out, but the South dodged the bullet and escaped. In the home half of
the 8th inning, the Lumberkings' Shawn Mandolesi took his place at
second base, and came home to score the game -- and series -- winner,
on an RBI single by South catcher Jeff Twist.
After trading 6-5 wins, the North and South All Stars squared off in a
deciding game 3 on Sunday morning at 10am. At the end of regulation,
the two teams were tied, 1-1. With the international tie breaker in
effect, the North failed to score in the top of the 8th. In the bottom
of the 7th, Shawn Mandolesi took a spot at second base. With a flair
for the dramatic, South Catcher Jeff Twist (California Lumberkings)
stroked an RBI single for the game winner. Key to the South's win was
getting out of two bases-loaded-nobody out jams. In the 4th it was
Mark Bennett, while in the top of the 8th, it was eventual winning
pitcher, Travis Price. The South came back to win the nightcap 6-5
(the same score as the North won Game 1 by), so there will be a rubber
match to decide the 2006 California (All Star) Challenge at 10am
Sunday morning, at Dave Frye Field in Bakersfield.
GAME 1 - Oct 14, 2006 - 4:30pm
North 6, South 5
Summary: North scores 4 in the bottom of the 7th to win. All 5 runs
scored by the South driven in by Lumberkings Brian Teeters (3-run HR)
and Shawn Mandolesi (2 run HR)
Starting pitchers: Tony Peeples (Bombers) for the North;
Mark Bennett (Portland) for the South
Scoring:
North, B3: Todd Garcia (Rainey) RBI single; North leads 1-0
South, T4: Paul Rosebush, (The Farm) bunt single; Todd Budke (The
Farm) HBP; Brian Teeters, (Cal Lumberkings) opposite-field 3-Run
Homer. South leads 3-1.
South, T7: Shawn Mandolesi (Cal Lumberkings/Taylor Farms), 2 run HR,
South leads 5-2.
North, B7: South pitching change, Travis Price (Bombers) replaces Mark
Bennett (Portland)
Zack Abernathy and another both reach base; Jeff Reich (Portland)
2-run triple, South lead cut to 5-4; Jeff Reich (Portland) scored on
WP, score tied, 5-5. Steve Pinnochio (Bombers) walked, stole second,
reached third on wild pitch, scored on passed ball. Game over, North
wins 6-5.
WP- Tony Peeples, (Bombers) went the distance;
LP - Travis Price, (Bombers) in relief of Mark Bennett (Portland)
HR - Brian Teeters (Cal Lumberkings), South; Shawn Mandolesi (Cal
Lumberkings/Taylor Farms), South.
-----
GAME 2 - Oct 14, 2006 - 7:30pm
South 6, North 5
WP-Travis Price (Bombers) South
LP-Ed Gaspar (A-1 Tank) North
HR-Todd Garcia (Rainey), North
-----
GAME 3
South 2, North 1, 8 innings
WP-Travis Price (Bombers) (4) in relief of Mark Bennett (Portland)
LP-Tony Peeples (Bombers)
HR-Paul Rosebush (The Farm), South.
Game winning run scored in the bottom of the 8th on RBI single by Jeff
Twist (Lumberkings/Taylor Farms)
-----
2006 "CALIFORNIA CHALLENGE" ALL STAR ROSTERS
(with their 2006 team shown)
NORTH ROSTER:
1. Zack Abernathy INF A-1 Tank/River City Rocker
2. Dave Bostick INF River City Rockers
3. Eddie Brooks 1B IAC
4. Mike Butler INF SoCal Bombers
5. NateDevine OF SoCal Bombers
6. Todd Garcia C Team Rainey
7. Ed Gaspar P A-1 Tank/River City Rockers
8. Korey Krueg INF A-1 Tank
9. Joel Manfredi C IAC
10. Tony Peeples P SoCal Bombers
11. Steve Pinocchio INF SoCal Bombers
12. Jason Porto OF SoCal Bombers
13. Jeff Reich OF Portland DeMarini
14. Mark Santillano INF Portland DeMarini
15. Mark Sommers DH River City Rockers
16. Bobby Smith OF Romie's Angels
17. Dan Winnick OF SoCal Bombers
SOUTH ROSTER:
1. Travis Price-SoCal Bombers
2. Mark Bennett-Portland DeMarini
3. Todd Budke-The Farm
4. Paul Rosebush-The Farm
5. Chris Hunt-Team Rainey
6. Stan Grebeck-Team Rainey
7. Rod Rainey-Team Rainey
8. Jesse Duncan-Team Rainey
9. Brian Teeters-LumberKings
10. Carlos Flores-LumberKings
11. Troy Parker-LumberKings
12. Shawn Mandolesi-LumberKings/Taylor Farms
13. Jeff Twist-Taylor Farms/Lumberkings
14. Kevin Castillo-Young Bucks
15. Jose Sandoval-Rude Pac
16. Chris Minogue-Black Sox
A big thank you to the California Lumberking's David Weldin for
providing timely reporting during and after each game.
Best regards,
Jim Flanagan
www.fastpitchwest.com
www.ballparkradio.com
email: jim@fastpitchwest.com
