2021 Rays Take Two of Three in Championship Series of Sacramento MSBL 35+ National Division

Sacramento MSBL, 35+ National Division

Rays 8, Cordova Vandals 6 (Game three in best two of three series)

‘Reintjes Takes Charge on Mound’

Submitted by Steve Conn, Rays manager

The Cordova Vandals (11-1) took game one of the best-of-three championship series by a score of 14-0.  The Rays came back and took game two by a score of 3-2. Darin Reintjes pitched a complete game for the win. Michael Tony Fanelli came up with the big 2-out hit in the bottom of the seventh to give the Rays the lead.

Then in the deciding game three, the Rays prevailed in extra innings (10 innings) by a score of 8-6.  Darin Reintjes pitched all 10 innings for the win. Ben Barker went 5-5 with a double, 3-rbi, and two crucial stolen bases to share Co-MVP honors with Darin.  Donnie Logsdon came up with a huge catch in the bottom of the seventh to prevent two runs from scoring. 

In 2019 and 2020, we lost in the championship series. So, I owe a lot of credit to Eric Aller, Dave Johnson, and Sam Calagna who were always thinking about adding pieces to the puzzle to push us over the top, like Darin Reintjes, Ben Barker, Chris Jones, and Justin Wentzel. 

Big Shout- outs to the Johnson family who help us out by keeping score, coming to almost every game, and cheering us on with the cowbell.

An additional Shout-out to Don Logsdon who also comes to almost every game and takes awesome pictures for us.

Also, a Shout-out to Matt Graver, our fallen teammate but never forgotten. 

We dedicate this championship to his family and him. 

Lastly, Shout- out to all of the players for never giving up in the face of adversity.

We started the season off 0-2 but still finished with a winning record (7-5); We started two games with eight players; We knocked off the defending champs, Bulldogs, in the semifinal game 3-2; We lost game one of the championship series 14-0 but came back to win game two 3-2.  Then we won game three in extra innings for the title!!!

If our season was a movie, we could’ve scripted it any better.  To say that I’m proud of what this team accomplished this season and that our championship is a special one, would be an understatement!