2019 40+ American

Montebello Angels 12, So Cal Snappers 1

‘MVP Yanez Throws Complete Game for Ring’

By Rodney Johnson, special to MSBL

October 26, 2019, Tempe Diablo Stadium – Like a leaky faucet that wouldn’t stop, the Angels dripped runs for a few innings before the pipes burst washing away the So Cal Snappers. The result was a12-1 win in the 40 + American Championship game at Tempe Diablo Stadium. The Angels scored single runs in the first, third and fourth innings to ease into the lead. In the fifth after one was out, Montebello collected five straight singles to tally three runs and take a commanding 6-0 lead.

The next inning there were two outs when the Angels scored four unearned runs with the help of an error by the Snappers shortstop. The key hit was a three-run double by Brandon Hedding. That made it a 10-0 score and made the last three innings mop-up work for starting pitcher Bobby Yanez who went all the way to earn the win and MVP honors. “All the guys just clutched up and we scored a bunch of runs today,” said Angels manager Robert Oskin. “The team we bring is our Saturday-Sunday team from back home and these guys are scrappy. This isn’t just a tournament team, we play together all the time and I’m really proud of these guys.”

The Angels finished 6-0 in pool play to earn a bye into the championship game in the four-team American Division. The Snappers (3-3), beat the Long Island Panthers (2-3-1) in the semifinals by an 11-5 score. The Snappers trailed in the game until a seven-run seventh put them in the lead. Manny Pimentel was the top hitter for So Cal as he rapped three home runs in the tournament. He did his part in the championship game as well with a three-for-four performance.

Although this was the first year playing in the 40s for So Cal, they’re a very experienced team having won six championships together in other divisions. “I’m really grateful to Steve Sigler for putting this all together and giving us the last 20 years of being able to get together for this,” said Snapper manager Frank Sansone. “We have three guys (in addition to Sansone) who have been with us for all 20-years; Mark Flatten, Tim Dilullo and Dave Fogle. When we first started this team we weren’t that great, but we built it and they have been here the whole way.”

For the Angels, this year’s title completed a three-peat in the 40’s. “Our team is a hitting team,” said Oskin. “We score a lot of runs. These are all guys from our neighborhood and we are more than teammates, we are all friends.” The Angels stay together in a big house, and the best cook? “I’d have to say it’s Fidel Jacobo who cooks a lot of healthy foods for us,” Oskin continued. “There are a lot of sponsored teams that come out here, but our guys all pay their own way and are just here for the fun and the competition. We are a band of brothers.” These brothers now have three rings to bond them together.

Team                        1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9         R   H   E

Snappers                0   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   0          1   12   2  

Angels                     1   0   1   1   3   4   0   2   x          12   18   0

Pitching Line: (Snappers): Rivard; Lorraine (5); Sena (7). (Angels): Yanez.

WP: Yanez (Angels)

LP:Rivard (Snappers)

HR: none

3B: none

2B: Pimentel (Snappers); Nevarez (Angels); Hedding (Angels).

Leading Hitters: (Snapers): Mark Flatten 2×3; Jeromie Spillman 2×4; Erickson Dumaual 1×2; Roberto Ramos 2×3. (Angels): Fidel Jacobo 5×5, 2 RBI; Brandon Hedding 3×4, 3 RBI; Alfredo Nevarez 2×4; Louie Gonzalez 2×3, 2 RBI.

SAC: none

SF: Mendoza (Snappers).

SB: Rodriguez (Angels).

DP: none.

Team LOB: So Cal Snappers 13, Montebello Angels 10

Time of Game: 3:01