2008 Santa Barbara

It's a repeat, Rude-Pac and Panteras II hang on to win the Championships for the second straight tournament

The So Cal Alliance made it's way up the coast to Santa Barbara for the seventh weekend of the year.  With the Goleta fire causing some concerns earlier in the week, the tournament went off without the smoke becoming a factor. 

Upper Division

Rude-Pac went 5 - 0 over the weekend for the championship giving up only four ones in the round robin for the number one seed.  On Sunday, they faced the Long Beach Black Sox in the semi-finals and posted a strong 8 - 0 win.  In the finals they once again faced San Diego Primetime who were making their third consecutive championship appearance.  Primetime entered the championship game with an 11 - 4 victory over Flor de Cana.  Spud Barker was in the circle for Rude-Pac against Danny Zupp of Primetime.

Rude-Pac starting scoring early picking up a run in the first and two in the second on a Keith Herbster home run.  Primetime picked up a run on an Erik Geierman double who scored on a base hit. Primetime scored another run in the fifth to get to within one, but Rude-Pac came right back in the bottom of the inning to get the run back with Scott Pulcifer doubling in the inning and scoring on a Ron Mizener single.  Things got a little dicey in the top of the seventh as Primetime loaded the bases.  Spud Barker re-entered the game in relief of Gerald Pyle and got the final batter to ground into a fielder's choice to end the game and also earn a save as well as the victory in the game. 

Lower Division

Once again the Panteras II faced the Carribeans in the championship game.  The Carribeans came into the game as the number one seed going undefeated in the round robin.  In their Sunday morning semi-final game they beat the Palm Springs Express 5 - 0.  Panteras II held off a scrappy So Cal Hustler team in their semi-final game, 6 - 5.  Francisco Cruz took the ball for the Carribeans against Doug Rooney of the Panteras II.

The Panteras II kicked things off early in the top of the first on three hits included a double by Eli Salazar and a triple by Tony Garcia.  The Carribeans came up with a run in the bottom of the inning,  The score remained 3 - 1 until the bottom of the fourth when they took advantage of a hit and a fielding error to come within one run.  In the bottom of the fifth, the Carribeans scored four runs.  With two runners on base Mario Ramsey doubled to score both and he was followed by Valentine Douglas with an inside the park home run for a 6 - 4 lead.  Gilbert Joiner entered the game in the top of the 6th for the Carribeans, but the Panteras II treated him rough, taking advantage of three walks, a hit batter and three hits to score five runs and take an 8 - 6 lead.  The Panteras II added an insurance run in the top of the seventh on a Tony Garcia home run.  Doug Rooney got the final three batters out in order for the complete game victory. 

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