2015 Colt 45’s Win Crown in First Year at So Cal MSBL 18+ Open Division

So Cal MSBL 18+ Open Division

Colt 45’s 8, Team USA 4

‘Glaze and Spottsville Go Yard to Secure Title’

Submitted by Tony Becerra, Colt 45’s manager

The Colt 45’s have been playing together for over 10 years. Our ages range from 18 to 47 and our playing skill ranges from Division one college players to former MLB players. We have been playing all over southern California. This season we decided to try out the SO CAL MSBL league in Orange County because one of my players kept on telling me that this league was really good. He plays in the 35 over division in this league, so he knows about the 18 open division. We joined.

Our season went really well, as we ended up with a record of 15-3 and took first place in our division. The 18 open division was a really good division. The talent pool was very good and both hitting and pitching was legit. We fought hard in this league, had some blowout games, but also had some very close games. Since we were new, all teams were very helpful and helped us out in regards to rules and regulations. Both my guys and myself enjoyed this league and how professionally it was run.

We ended up with a first round bye in the playoffs. Here is where it became very emotional for us. When we got to playoffs, the format was a two game elimination set up. First and second seeds got a first round bye, then 3-6 play and 4-5 play. Then the two game elimination would begin. We ended up defeating the number six seeded team 11-4 and moved up to the winners bracket to face the number two seeded team, TEAM USA. Here is where the problem then occurred. That following Sunday, when the playoffs were scheduled to resume, we were not going to be in town due to a prior tournament commitment so we were facing forfeited losses. That Saturday night arrived and all playoff games were cancelled due to rain so we would be able to play back home and play!!!!

Sunday came around with the first game at 10:00 am and another game at 2:00 pm if we lost, since we were still unbeaten. We played TEAM USA in the early game and lost!!! We started off slow and ended the game slow. We still battled, but lost 8-7. The second game was pretty much the same, my guys were slow, nothing was going for us, but we hung in there and beat the Royals team to go the championship game the following week. In a two week span, we had played a total of 10 games, going 9-1, and were now heading to a championship game where in order for us to win, we needed to beat TEAM USA twice in a double header series.

After having a full week off, my guys came out ready to play. My ace Jesse Martinez came out strong and went all nine innings and got the win against TEAM USA, 6-2. He threw a strong nine giving up only two runs on 10 hits, seven Ks and 0 walks. Jesse Martinez told me he wanted to start again in game two so we decided to start him again. TEAM USA started their ace as well. It was another tough game for us as the TEAM USA pitcher kept us off balance and had us in check through seven innings, 4-1 TEAM USA. Then the tables turned for us. My pitcher Jesse kept us in the game while in the bottom of the seventh inning my left fielder Sean Glaze hit a two-run home run to get us closer and now it was a 4-3, TEAM USA leading. In the bottom of the eighth inning we scored two more runs to go up 5-4 and then the dagger came into play. The TEAM USA pitcher gave up a three-run home run to my second baseman Brian Spottsville to put us up 8-4. We never looked back as Jesse Martinez threw his second complete game in the same day. He threw all nine, gave up four runs on nine hits, seven K’s, and two walks. He threw two complete games in the same day. He ended up throwing a total of 18 innings with 240 pitches thrown, had 14ks, two walks and 19 hits.