2018 Jazz Extinguish Dragons for 65+ Title in Redwood Empire Baseball League

Redwood Empire Baseball League, 65+ Division

Jazz 8, Dragons 7 (11 innings)

‘Jazz Fight Back in Late Innings to Secure Title’

Submitted by Ralph Leef

Led by the hot bat of center fielder Matt Dockstader, the Jazz defeated the Dragons to capture a third consecutive 65+ Redwood Empire Baseball League title. Dockstader, the championship series MVP, batted .773 in the playoffs — tops among all Legends League playoff hitters. Don Johannsen (.727) and Dale Skinner (.636) led the Dragons’ offense in five playoff games.

Third baseman Bill Delaney (.522) singled home Mike Farris with the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning for the Jazz in the deciding game of the best-of-three championship series. The Jazz were held in check by hard-throwing Larry Hendrickson, but scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the game into extra innings.

The Dragons, 17-2 in their inaugural Legends League season, defeated the Jazz, 13-9, in the championship series opener behind the complete-game pitching of Rich Mangini. The Jazz came back with a 26-8 victory behind the pitching of 73-year-old pitcher David “Doc” Charp in the first game on Sunday and then rode the arms of Charp (6.1 innings) and 72-year-old Frank Milian (4.2 innings) in the championship game that same day.

Milian, who pitched all nine innings in Saturday’s game one loss, picked up the title game win. Dockstader was 17×22 with five doubles, 14 RBI and 10 runs scored. Teammate Ralph Leef batted .556 and Robert McGregor .520 with two doubles and two triples. Dragon player/manager Allan Green backed Johannsen and Skinner with a .550 playoff average for the Dragons.

The Jazz have a 57-4 record in the first three years of the REBL’s Legend League.