Publication Date: Friday, July 02, 2004
Palo Alto Babe Ruth all-stars set sights on titles
Palo Alto Babe Ruth all-stars set sights on titles
(July 02, 2004) by Keith Peters
Summer time means vacation time, except for those members of the Palo Alto Babe Ruth all-star teams.
Year in and out, Palo Alto's three teams invariably reach the championship game of their respective District 6 tournaments and advance to NorCal play. That's what happened a year ago when the Palo Alto 13- and 14-year-olds both were forced into extra playoff games to capture district titles.
The defending champion 13s got their title defense under way this week at the Belmont Sports Complex by knocking off host Belmont, 9-1. Palo Alto next will play tonight at 6 p.m.
The 14s begin their defense on Thursday, July 8 at McKelvey Park in Mountain View against Belmont, either at 5:30 or 8 p.m., while the 15s play their tournament opener Tuesday against Belmont, at 8 p.m., at Baylands Athletic Center in Palo Alto.
Based on last season's titles, the Palo Alto 14s and 15s appear a year older and improved from 2003.
The Palo Alto Babe Ruth City Tournament wrapped up Monday night at Baylands, with regular-season champion Menlo Park Chevron shutting down Pillsbury-Winthrop, 3-0.
David Chezar tossed a complete-game four-hitter for Menlo Park, striking out 10 and walking only two. He got the run he needed in the bottom of the first when Ryan Quick slammed a leadoff triple, Danny Stienstra walked and Chezar singled home Quirk.
In the bottom of the third, Stienstra was hit by a pitch to lead off and Chezar also walked. Following an infield popup and a flyout, Robert La Rue singled home Stienstra and Chezar stole home for a 3-0 lead.
That was all Chezar needed. He set Pillsbury-Winthrop down in order in the fourth, allowed one hit in the fifth, went three and out in the sixth and struck out two in the seventh to end the game.
Cody West had two of Pillsbury-Winthrop's four hits. Pillsbury-Winthrop had forced Monday's challenge game after rallying to beat Menlo Park Chevron in Sunday's championship game, 7-5.
Semipro
The Palo Alto Oaks (7-1) will play host to the San Jose Twins (8-0) on Sunday in a showdown for first place in the Western Baseball Association (Stan Musial Division). The first game of the doubleheader starts at 11:30 a.m. at Baylands Athletic Center.
Gabe Duran leads the Oaks with a .643 batting average (18 for 28) and 19 RBI. His slugging percentage is a mind-boggling 1.607. Jimmy Goethals is batting .611 with Gunn grads Jefferson Bradshaw and Greg Matson next at .545 and .529, respectively. Bradshaw and Matson each have 13 RBI, second only to Duran's team-leading total.
Paly grad Colby Henard tops the pitching staff with a 4-0 record. He has a 2.67 ERA over 21 innings.
American Legion
Palo Alto Post 375 opened play at the Western States Classic tournament with a 6-1 victory over Hawaii on Wednesday at Diablo Valley College.
Jimmy Meuel pitched a six-hitter for his third win without a loss on the season.
Sandy Williams had two hits and drove in two runs as Palo Alto scored in five of the six innings it batted. Fellow Paly grads John Picazo and Jason Kleinhoffer each added two hits.
Jonathon Lieberman and Tony Sackman each had two hits but the Redwood City Post 105 Blues dropped a 6-4 decision to the Lafayette Generals in the opener at St. Mary's College in Moraga on Wednesday.
Menlo School senior Andy Suiter struck out nine in four innings, including the first six batters he faced, but did not record the decision when the Generals scored three unearned runs in the sixth inning to take the lead.
Redwood City is scheduled to meet Palo Alto Post 375 today at 5 p.m. at Diablo Valley College.
Play continues through Sunday, with the finals scheduled for St. Mary's.
Palo Alto beat Pacifica, 17-0, on Monday as Paly grad Russ Hagemann drove in five runs on three hits. Post 375 also defeated the East Bay Reds on Sunday, 12-8, after splitting a doubleheader with host Gilroy on Saturday.
Little League
All four local teams competing in the District 52 Majors 11-12 All-Star Tournament will be busy Saturday at Foster City's Sea Cloud Park.
Palo Alto National, a 7-6 winner over Redwood City National in a first-round game Monday, will either play Belmont Redwood Shores on Saturday in a winners'-bracket game at 2 p.m., or face Highlanders in a consolation-bracket game at 4:30 p.m.
Palo Alto National faced Alpine on Thursday night.
Palo Alto American played its opening-round game Thursday against San Mateo National, with a victory moving PA American into Saturday's winners' bracket against the San Mateo American-Pacifica American winner at 2 p.m.
Menlo-Atherton, which was routed by Hillsborough (13-0) in the first round, plays Saturday at 9 a.m. against either Redwood City National or Redwood City American. That game's loser will be eliminated in the double-elimination tournament.
Ravenswood plays Half Moon Bay on Saturday at 9 a.m., in another consolation game. Ravenswood was beaten in its opener, 19-0.
Palo Alto National advanced in dramatic fashion, battling back from a 6-0 deficit to win. Wade Hauser's grand slam was the big hit while Jared Beeson tripled and scored the tying run on a grounder by Jack Smale. Adam Boone's single knocked in T.J. Braff with the winning run.
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