The field is taking shape The field is taking shape (July 15, 2005)

Palo Alto, RC Blues set for the Area 2 American League tourney

by Keith Peters

The regular season for American Legion baseball may be over Sunday, but Redwood City Blues' coach Tim Goode knows he won't be taking any vacation early next week.

The Menlo School-based squad will be busy in the Area 2 Tournament that begins Tuesday at Baylands Athletic Center.

The Blues clinched one of five playoff berths - Palo Alto Post 375 gets an automatic berth as the host - by defeating Palo Alto on Wednesday, 4-3, in extra innings.

Redwood City improved to 9-4 (20-8 overall) while Palo Alto fell to 9-3.

Rob McAdams pitched all eight innings, striking out six and walking one to earn the victory. McAdams also doubled and singled.

Doug Hansen drove in the winning run in the eighth after Colin Umphreys singled with one out for his third hit of the game. Umphreys was safe on a fielder's choice and went to third when Menlo grad Ryan Cavan walked to load the bases. Hansen then singled to right on a 1-2 count.

Colin Felch, Shane Parsons, Russ Hagemann and Justin Cecil all had two hits for Post 375.

On Tuesday, the Blues overcame deficits of 5-0 and 6-2 to post an 8-6 victory over host Pacifica Post 238.

Michael Paul Stauffer had three singles, scored two runs and had an RBI while Hansen had two hits, including a double, and two RBI to lead the Redwood City comeback.

In the "B" division, Palo Alto registered a 6-2 win over the Menlo Park Bears on Monday at Palo Alto High. Menlo Park's defense collapsed at crucial times, with all but one of Palo Alto's runs unearned.

In the fourth, Palo Alto's Jake Martin singled and went to second on a walk to Will Elmore before Peter Abrams doubled in the first run of the game. Derrick Austin then hit a high fly ball that eluded Bears' left fielder Corey Zirbes for an error, allowing Elmore and Abrams to score.

Senior Little League

Palo Alto won its first District 52 Tournament title (15-16 age bracket) with a 3-0 win over Redwood City American at Gunn High on Tuesday.

Palo Alto next will play in the Section 3 Tournament on Saturday at James Logan High in Union City at 10 a.m.

Palo Alto had only two hits, but took advantage of a walk, an error and a hit batsman for its runs.

The winner came in the first when Matt Yarak walked, stole second and third and scored on a groundball by Owen Wyatt.

Yarak accounted for all three Palo Alto runs. In the third, he doubled home Jeff Christopherson, who had been hit by a pitch and moved to second on wild pitch. In the fifth, Yarak reached first on a fielder's choice. He stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a grounder by Blaine Marchant.

Carey Schwartz picked up the pitching win with a complete-game effort.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.