Benicia’s Big League all-star team went 3-0 in pool play and took the No. 1 seed into the semifinals of the West Region Tournament in Bremerton, Wash.
Benicia, which opened the tournament with a 12-1 victory over Redmond West (Wash.), beat Phoenix last Thursday, 6-2, and topped Lake Oswego (Ore.), 11-6, Friday night to finish as the only unbeaten team in pool play. Benicia took on “pool B” No. 2 seed Thousand Oaks (3-1) in Saturday’s semifinal. Hawaii (3-1) and Lake Oswego (2-1) compete in the other semifinal.
“We can say we’re the champions of Washington, Arizona, Nevada and Northern California,” said Benicia 17/18 manager Mike Palmer. “We have a bunch of boys who really know a lot about baseball. They’ve been well coached at the high school. We didn’t always play our best but we always played well enough to win the game.”
Leading by only one in the sixth inning against Phoenix on Thursday, Benicia rallied for three runs to break the game open. Anthony Fellman ripped an RBI double that scored Clayton Hutcheson to make it 3-1. After a walk to Kyle Blakeman, Tanner Marchant singled to center for a run and Jason Ramirez made it 5-1 with an RBI double. Fellman added an RBI double in the top of the seventh to make it 6-1.
Benicia’s pitching staff bent but didn’t break. Steven Daini allowed a base runner in each of the first three innings but didn’t give up a run. He struck out the side in the first inning and finished with four strikeouts and no walks. The bullpen allowed seven hits and two runs over the final four innings but only walked one and never gave up the lead. Benicia helped itself defensively with two double plays.
“We’re playing really good defense and we’re not walking many guys,” Palmer said.
Lake Oswego (Ore.) scored twice in the top of the first inning Friday, but Benicia answered with seven runs in the bottom half. Five of first six batters were walked or hit by a pitch as Benicia sent 10 batters to the plate. Fellman blasted a two-run triple before getting thrown out at home to end the inning.
Oregon pulled to within 7-4, but Blakeman tripled home Fellman and Jared Hanson in the fourth, then scored on an error to make it 10-4. Marchant doubled home Hanson in the sixth.
Jack Bowles pitched the first 4 2/3 innings for Benicia and earned the win. Hanson threw two innings of hitless, scoreless relief.
Fellman has been the star of the tournament, going 7-for-12 (.583) at the plate with eight runs and three RBI in three games.
The winner of the West Region advances to the Big League World Series in South Carolina.
Thomas Petersen says
Does anyone pay attention to baseball?
John says
Nah. They just write about it because kids love playing the game that happens to have more spectators than any other sport in the US.
Thomas Petersen says
I don’t know if ‘kids love playing the game” is verifiable. However, “more spectators than any other sport in the US”, I don’t doubt. Not sure if the most watched of the three least watched sports amounts to much, though.
Bob livesay says
America is a Football, bASEball and bASKET
Bob livesay says
America is a Football, Baseball and Basketball sport country. Just look at the out of country baseball and basketball players who are now playing in the USA. We are not a soccer country. Very low scoring game. When and if Americans take that sport seriously we will dominate the sport. We do fine as it is. American football is watched all over the world. Baseball and bASKET
Bob livesay says
America is a Football, Baseball and Basketball sport country. Just look at the out of country baseball and basketball players who are now playing in the USA. We are not a soccer country. Very low scoring game. When and if Americans take that sport seriously we will dominate the sport. We do fine as it is. American football is watched all over the world.
Bob livesay says
sorry for the dup.
Thomas Petersen says
No comparisons being made on my part. The point is mainly that viewing the “pastime” known as baseball (not a sport) is like watching paint dry. It will fade away in due time.
Champion says
True but no one can take the title Champion away from you, once your a champion you’ll always be a champion!
John says
Did you get a chance to watch the World Cup? That makes baseball look exciting as hell. If baseball is watching paint dry, soccer is like watching mountains erode.
Champion says
Amen
Stick to the performing arts page!
Thomas Petersen says
If you mean like an avalanche, then damn straight!
But hey, don’t take the fact that many people think baseball is insipid, personally. In this country one is free to waste one’s time and money any way one likes.