2024 Tribe Overwhelms Gamecocks in Inaugural 18+ Cactus Division of Fresno Men’s Baseball League
Fresno Men’s Baseball League, 18+ Cactus Division
FMBL Tribe 14, Gamecocks 5 (Game three of best-of-three championship series)
Submitted by Frankie Fagundes, Tribe manager
The Fresno Men’s Baseball League started an 18+ Cactus Division. The division has a restriction on pitchers that can pitch in that division. No player above high school is eligible to pitch unless three years removed. The league also has an 18+ Mountain division with zero restrictions on pitchers. That division was extremely competitive this year with teams grinding out playoff spots all season.
The Cactus Division proved to be just as competitive and provided amazing baseball. The Tribe, one of FMBL’s longest-running teams, decided it would be best to move to the cactus division. After three decades of never missing the playoffs and having every season with 10+ wins, it was time to help the league transition to this new format.
This season we brought back an old ‘Tribesmen’ who had been out of baseball for a decade. Charles Lewis, now 51, hit just shy of .500 on the season and solidified second base, a position left open because cousin Noah Fagundes had a career change and wasn’t able to play this year.
The Tribe has been, for two decades, primarily a family-based team, with long-time baseball brothers added to complete a roster.
This year we added Mark Avila, a long-time thorn in the Tribe’s side. Always a threat to go deep or come up with a clutch hit in a tight game, we felt blessed to add him to a very solid lineup. We boasted a lineup that consisted of Phil Gonzales, the team’s leadoff hitter and home run leader, followed by Gibby Gonzales, one of the league’s best hitters then you add Mark. Follow that up with Steven Gonzales, by far the best hitter FMBL has ever had.
If opposing pitchers were lucky enough to get through those guys, they then had to deal with the number five hitter David Geiger, who could easily fit in any of those top four spots, along with Ike Horn in the six hole.
We possess plenty of grinders that wore out the pitchers, such as Manny Fagundes, Dustin Fagundes, Richie Morales, Jess Moran, Shane Fossett, and Jacob French. These guys were outstanding all season. Jacob’s first year with the Tribe was a key piece for a successful season, giving us great at-bats and some really good innings on the mound.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Tribe drew the Yankees. Dustin got the start on the mound and dominated with a complete game. The Tribe erupted with 13 runs, surrendering only 3.
The second round was against the Royals. Dustin Fagundes got the start and gave us 5.2 solid innings. The game was tied 1-1 for the first 4 1/2 innings. In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Royals hit a 3-run inside-the-park home run to take the lead 4-1.
In the top of the sixth, Steven Gonzales hit a 2-run home run that kicked the Tribe’s offense into gear. Phil Gonzales added another home run, and the Tribe went on to score 14 runs to win 14 to 6. Richie Morales took over for Dustin Fagundes on the mound and shut down the Royals’ offense.
We then advanced to the Championship round in a best-of-three series against the Gamecocks.
Game 1: Richie Morales took the mound, giving up five runs in the first two innings. He settled in and threw donuts for the next six innings. The Tribe offense struggled to get things going but did tie the game at five, forcing extra innings where we lost in extras.
Game 2: Tribe ace Dustin Fagundes took the mound and absolutely dominated for his second complete game of the playoffs. The Tribe offense took off early and often to take game two.
Game 3: Dustin took the mound again and there was no taking the ball away from him in this game. He pitched his third complete game and earned the nickname the ‘HOG’. Phil Gonzales, Gib Gonzales, Mark Avila, and David Geigers’ hot bats led the way. David was 4-4 on the day.
2024 Cactus Division Champion!