2015 Hollywood Stallions Post Terrific Season in Los Angeles 35+ Federal Division
Los Angeles 35+ Federal Division
‘Stallions Make Memorable Run at Title in Los Angeles 35+ Federal’
Submitted by Mark Hellman, Stallions manager
The 2015 Hollywood Stallions were formed essentially from the castoffs of the Sherman Oaks Stallions who morphed into the Titans in 2013. We struggled through that season with no pitchers, began a reconstruction in 2014 with some new faces that came and went. But by the last month of 2014, the perennial cellar-dwelling Stallions came together and played spoiler in the playoff race with the upper division teams. No Federal League team scored more runs than the Stallions in August, in spite of our finishing the season one point out of the cellar.
We picked up in 2015 in the 35-over Federal division where we left off the year before. The season opener, in a prophetic match-up of the eventual championship teams, pitted us against the Bandits. A misplayed bunt in the late innings resulting in two runs for the Bandits spelled the difference in that game as we lost 4-2 behind a strong pitching performance by Jr. Esparza. The next Bandits-Stallions game ended in a 4-4 tie with Jr. going all the way in an 11 inning stalemate that just ran out of time.
Early on in the season, we lost our shortstop Frank Picha to a knee injury. Jack Sanchez went down with a heart attack, from which he fully and thankfully recovered. During a four game run, Jr. pitched three shutouts, all three games (except for the ninth inning of one game where there was a mix-up on who would close) were complete games!
The key all year was strong defense, with Aceves and Esparza forming an unassailable roadblock to left-side ground balls, Mike Morgan covering mind-boggling territory in center field, and the strong pitching core of Jr., Jack, Rod and Joey. Stallion history going back many years was always one of demoralizing defense – this new twist gave the horses renewed confidence which was reflected in the awakening of bats. This was an incredible run for us – the summer Stallions had never been contenders, and we could feel us going all the way all year long. It’s a great feeling to be a winner after so many years of losing. At the end of nine innings in the championship game the Bandits and Stallions were tied again. It came down to a walk-off gapper to left center in the 10th by Bandits League MVP Whitaker off of our League Cy Young winner Esparza to end the year.