2024 Dragons Take Fourth Straight R.E.B.L. 65+ Title
Redwood Empire Baseball League, 65+ Legends Division
Dragons 14, Emeralds 12
‘Dragons Make it Four Straight’
Submitted by Allan Green Dragons’ manager
The 2024 Redwood Empire Baseball League season produced unprecedented drama in the Legends (65+) League. Three highly competitive teams battled for twenty games; seedings were not determined until the final games were decided. The Emeralds earned the #1 seed with a 17-3 record and made quick work of the #4 seed Expos in the semifinal series.
The #2 seed Dragons faced off against their perennial challengers, the #3 seed Jazz. Dragon’s pitcher Steve Rhinehart tossed a five-hit shutout to humble the Jazz 10-0 in game one. Dragons hitters were led by Steve Brye (3/4, 2 RBI), Carter Njus (2/3, RBI), Rich Peters (2/4, 2 RBI), and Rich Epidendio (2/4, 3 runs scored). In game two, Dragons pitchers Larry Hendrickson and Epidendio kept a lid on the Jazz offense and the Dragons scored nine runs in the fourth inning to cruise to a 14-8 win. Bill Furbush (3/5), Matt Dockstader (2/4), Mike Lopez (2/4), and Paul Johnson (2/5, 2 RBI) led the Jazz. The Dragons were paced by Mark Fess (3/5, 2 RBI), Roy Davis (3/4), and Brien Seeley (2/4).
This set the stage for the third annual Dragons / Emeralds championship series. In both prior years, the Dragons had eked out tense one-run victories in the deciding third game of each series.
Game one was typical of the rivalry. The Emeralds led 8-1 after six innings, the Dragons closed to 8-4 in the seventh and then exploded for nine runs in the eighth. Dragons reliever Marty Wilcox held the powerful Emeralds at bay, allowing only three runs over the last four innings to preserve the Dragons’ 13-10 win. Mike Wilgus was 4/4 with three RBI, and Dale Skinner was 3/3 and scored four times for the Emeralds. Fess led the Dragons, 4/4 with two doubles and five RBI; Gary Nelson also went 4/4.
Emeralds pitcher Mike Wilgus dominated the Dragons in game two, scattering ten hits in a 10-1 complete game win. Skinner, Carl Speck, John Shea, and Wes Mayne each had three hits for the Emeralds. The stage was set for more deciding game fireworks…
Emeralds pitchers Mike Allen and Arturo Jaimes worked hard to keep the Dragons hitters off balance; Dragons pitchers Hendrickson and Epidendio struggled to slow down the powerful lineup of the Emeralds. The Emeralds led 10-8 after eight. Rich Peters led off the top of the ninth for the Dragons with a single, Njus was hit by a pitch, then Davis tied the game with a clutch double. John Lavin put the Dragons ahead with a base hit, Rick Chassey singled, and John Ball walked to load the bases. Epidendio’s hit drove in another run, and Fess came through with a two-RBI knock to put the Dragons up by four.
Speck led off the bottom of the ninth with a single for the Emeralds. After a Dragons error, a ringing double by Wilgus plated two. Dragons pitcher Epidendio recorded his second strikeout of the inning, but Skip Stephens singled, putting the tying run on base. Epidendio was then able to induce a ground ball to shortstop to end the Emeralds hopes. Wilgus, John Hughes, and Pat Carroll each had three hits for the Emeralds. Brye led the Dragons with four hits; Epidendio, Fess, Davis, and Chassey each had three hits for the Dragons.
Mark Fess was named playoff M.V.P. for the Dragons. In five games he batted .636, with ten RBI and six runs scored. Credit also goes to all the Dragons pitchers, who managed to subdue the Emerald’s dynamic offense just enough (they hit a combined .456 over five playoff games). After everyone recovers from this weekend (27 tense innings), the Emeralds and Dragons will combine forces, competing as the Dragons in the 65+ division of the M.S.B.L. World Series in Phoenix.