Recap of River City Rockers play at ASA "B" National Championships
September 3, 2007
Altamonte Springs/Orlando, FL
The River City Rockers recap from the 2007 ASA Men's "B" National Fastpitch Championships in Altamonte Springs/Orlando, Florida. The River City Rockers (49-13) of Sacramento, CA are led by Coaches Paul Carelton and 6-time champion coach Ben Herrera. The Rockers are led by many veteran players including mainstays, Joe Jaquez, Dave Bostick, Mark Summers and Mario Periera. Other teammates include Dany Blanco and Tim Briscoe. Former San Joaquin Mavericks who joined the squad include Greg Rogers, Kary Moore, Ed Gaspar and Zach Abernathy. Zach’s brother, Mike Abernathy brings pop to the lineup along with newer additions, Rusty Newnan, Dave Jordan, Scott Harrison, Mike Milligan and Chris Sloan.
Game #1- The River City Rockers dropped there opening game 7-5 to Luna’s Towing of Arizona. The Rockers made numerous miscues... including but not limited to misjudgments, dropping balls, walks, over running balls, throwing to the wrong bag, base running errors leading to getting thrown out at home and pitching to Omar Moraga who hit 2 bombs. Ed Gaspar was pulled at 3-1. Mike Milligan finished the game for the Rockers.
Game #2- The River City Rockers mercied Romie’s Angels 8-0 in 5 innings, behind the shut out pitching of Joe Jaquez. Mario Pereira led the game off with a solo bomb off Tony Hunhoff to pace the Rockers. Rusty Newnan and Dany Blanco added each two-run shots. With Scott Harrison (two hits) on 3rd and Kary Moore on first, the Rockers ran the "pickle play". Moore starts a steal of second...stops...catcher throws down to second...Harrison breaks for home & scores...Moore into second. Moore eventually scores too. This was the same play the Rockers "ran" against Kelder Poured Walls in the opening extra inning game of the NAFA "AA" game to tie the game up and propel the Rocker's to a 3rd place finish.
Game #3- The Rockers played Tiffany's from Michigan in a 9 am Saturday match up with Tiffany's bringing both pitchers from the 2nd place Priority Mortgage team at the NAFA "AA" tourney and setting up an elimination rubber game against those hurlers. The River City Rocker squad mercied Tiffany's of Michigan 9-1 in 5 innings. Ed Gaspar picked up the complete game win vs. Michigan. Scott Harrison, CF, Mario Pereira, 3B and Greg Rogers, C all clubbed homers. Mike Abernathy added a triple and Mark Summers & Kary Moore added RBI's to lead the balanced offensive attack.
Game #4- Florida Fastpitch beat Cruces of New Mexico 2-1 to advance in a loser's bracket and square up with the Rockers (2-1) in an elimination game at 3 pm Saturday. The Rockers went up 1-0 after 1 full inning. Dave Bostick gets a single and comes around to score on HBP by James Darby on Greg Rogers. Mike Milligan strikes out 2 out of 3 in top of 1st for the Rockers. The Rockers knock out Florida Fastpitchs' Australian, James Darby in the 2nd and led 5-1. Florida had the bases loaded in the 4th, but only pushed 1 run across for a rocker 5-2 led. Bostick hit a one hopper off fence to drive in Periera who singled...Rockers 6-2 in the 5th.Florida “ranâ€Â Milligan with a 2-run triple in the 6th...Rockers lead was cut to 6-4.The Rockers added an insurance run with sac fly from Mario...Tim Briscoe scored. 7-4 Rockers. Joe Jaquez took over the pitching duties. A shot by the Florida #5 batter and Scott Harrison made another amazing catch falling over the portable fences for the first out in the 7th. Joe strikes out last Florida Fastpitch batter to secure Rocker 7-4 victory. Rockers are 3-1 and square off against Wabash of Indiana next.2 teams left in winners bracket - CR Addidas and Pennsylvania Power.
Game #5- Joe Jaquez and the Rockers no-hit Wabash of Indiana 9-0 in 5 innings in a loser bracket game. The other remaining loser bracket game went 9 innings with ADCO/Tool Shed of NY losing 6-5 to AZ Luna's Towing. The winner, Luna’s gets to play the River City Rockers on Championship Sunday.The River City Rockers of Sacramento, CA were 3-0 on Saturday and 4-1 overall heading into the final day of the 2007 ASA Men's "B" National Championships in Altamonte Springs, Florida. They won 3 games Saturday defeating Tiffany’s of Michigan 9-1, Florida Fastpitch 7-4 and Wabash of Indiana 9-0 on a no-hitter by Joe Jaquez.
Game #6- The River City Rockers avenged their opening tournament loss by crushing Arizona's Luna Towing 10-2 in 5 innings in a 9 AM, Sunday morning game. Mike Abernathy hit a walk off 3-run homer to lead the Rockers. That advanced them to the elimination game against Pennsylvania Power for the right to play in the championship. The Rockers had fought their way through the loser bracket with 5 victories in a row. CR Addidas won 1-0 over Penn earlier. Ed Gaspar pitched great for the Rockers and picked up the “Wâ€Â.
Game #7- The Rockers jumped out to a 1-0 lead with an HBP to Tim Briscoe who scored on a short sacrifice fly to right. Mike Milligan started for the Rockers and after throwing what appeared to be a strike that was called a ball, the Rockers starter threw another pitch which was left over the plate and deposited into left centerfield for a 2-run homer for Penn Power. That proved the difference…one pitch and the Rockers lost 2-1 to Pennsylvania Power. They finish 5-2 and placed 3rd. CR Addidas of Oregon then defeated Penn Power 6-4 to capture the 2007 ASA Men’s “Bâ€Â National Fast Pitch Championship title.
Kary Moore
karymoore@aol.com
