Tuesday September 26th, 2006
JRW & Associates of Yakima gains Silver at NAFA 40 & Over
Carson City, Nevada – JRW & Associates 40 & Over team parlayed three
come-from-behind victories into a Silver Medal at the NAFA Masters World
tournament Sept 23-24. With the help of four British Columbia players, JRW
was 3-2 for the weekend.
At 1-1 in Sat pool play, JRW went into Sunday’s single elimination play as
the # 2 seed from Pool A in the six team tournament.
JRW reached the Championship game with two victories on Sunday, but lost to
the UTAH juggernaught 10-0. DB Tom Magers singled for the lone hit off
pitcher Steve Morgan. Only four JRW players struck out in this game, a great
improvement over the Sat 8-0 loss to UTAH in pool play in which P Steve
Morgan struck out 12 on the way to a perfect game.
NAFA Utah Director Les Vaughan assembled a squad of Master players from past
Miller Toyota and Castlewood teams that went undefeated in the 40-Over
category.
In JRW’s first pool play game, the team rallied from a 7-6 deficit in the
5th for a 12-10 victory over KHT Pumpers of Visalia, CA on SS Mike Parham’s
2 RBI single in B6. CF Steve Pidman was 3-4 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI. 2B
Don Cawthron was 2-4 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI, that coming on a 3 run
homer in B5.
In T7, JRW walked CF Todd Budke with 1B occupied. Todd had two 2 run homers
and a double in three previous AB’s. With the bases loaded, JRW pitcher Wade
Liberty induced a force out at 2B to insure the victory.
(See a related story on NAFA web site later on for Budke’s tourney
achievements, which were probably the greatest single batting performance by
a player in any tournament).
In Sunday’s opening SE game, JRW 1B and BC native Keven MacDonald (1B)
singled home CF Steve Pidman in B7 for JRW’s 2nd come from behind victory, a
5-4 win over Tule Lake, CA. In T7 with 2 outs and first and third occupied
with Tule Lake runners and the score tied at 4-4, Manager Jim Williamson
ordered an intentional walk for P John Wismuth who had a 2 run homer in the
first. A ground out to 3B ended the inning with no score. 2b Don Cawthron
was 2-3 with 1 run and 1 RBI. LF Troy Grow was also 1-3 with an RBI. P Kurt
Penner allowed only one run in 3 2/3 innings of relief to post the victory.
In Sunday’s next SE game, JRW faced long time nemesis BADEN Sports of
Seattle, last year’s 40 & Over champion. (Formerly sponsored by the
Hobnobber tavern). Trailing 2-3, JRW exploded for 8 runs in B5 for a 10-3
run-ahead victory. BC native Nick Trasolini (Caught all five games) led the
scoring with a 2 RBI double while LF Troy Grow, SS Mike Parham and DB Wade
Liberty chipped in with RBI doubles. SS Mike Parham was 3-3, LF Troy Grow
was 2-3 and C Nick Trasolini also had an RBI single (2-4).
SS Mike Parham and 2B Don Cawthron were selected to the All-World team as
well as was British Columbia P Kurt Penner and CF Steve Pidman.
James Robert Williamson
jrwilliamson@foodfacility.com
