2012 45+ Division

Team Victory 9, Dodgertown West 2

By David Krival, MSBL On-Line

January 14-16, 2012, Palm Springs, CA – Team Victory’s tournament co-MVP Greg Bertrand followed his scoreless effort in the semifinal with a solid performance in his team’s 9-2 championship game win over Dodgertown West.

Bertrand, who was the winning pitcher for both games, worked 4.1 innings in relief of starter Rafael Fuentes in the Final, allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits. After scoring once in the top of the first, TV pushed across four runs in the second and built a 9-0 lead before Dodgertown pushed across single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Five hitters in TV’s batting order had two hits. John Love and co-MVP Derek Clair both stroked run-scoring doubles. Bob Pone stole two bases, seven for the tournament.

Over the weekend, Clair collected eight hits in thirteen at-bats (.615 BA). Clair walked four times and was plunked by two pitches for a .737 on-base average. Hitting in the number three slot, Frank Bons homered, doubled and drove in six runs.

Co-MVP John Bertrand

Love went five-for-ten with three doubles and five RBI. Dale Eby and Ed Urbanik each won a game on the hill for Team Victory. “Except for four errors in one inning in the game we tied with the Inland NW Padres we played pretty solid ball,” said skipper Fuentes. “Solid pitching, team speed and timely hitting were the determining factors for us in winning the tournament.”Dodgertown had its own fielding troubles in the championship. Five errors led to four unearned runs.

Co MVP Derek Clair

Stroking ten hits off Bertrand and Fuentes, the Boys in Blue might have made a much closer game of it if not for their fits and starts in the field.

Paul Galetti, Dodgertown’s leading hitter for the tournament, singled and doubled in the Final.

Reggie Smith, Jr. homered for Dodgertown in the first game of the round robin. Steve Moritz threw seven innings of shutout relief to win the semifinal with the Central Coast Hogs.

“Team Victory edged us, 2-0, in the Desert Classic championship game in 2010,” said manager Mark Schneiderman. “So, we knew they are good ball club.”

WP- Bertrand. LP- Littz. Top Hitters: (TV) Bell 2/5, 1 R, 1 RBI; Henry 2/4, 2 R, 1 RBI; Bons 2/4, 2 R; Sailer 2/4, 2 RBI; Pone 2/3, 2 R, 2 SB. (DW) Galetti 2/4, 1 RBI. 2B- Love (TV), Clair (TV); Galetti (DW).