Mesa Verde Partners earn shot at title

Defending Wednesday League champion Mesa Verde Partners earned a

spot in the league’s championship game by stopping upstart Sports

World, 12-11, in the City of Laguna Beach’s Men’s Summer 16 Slow

Pitch Softball playoff action at Riddle Field.

Bill Toon’s two-RBI double in the first inning gave Sports World a

2-1 lead, but Jerry Writer put Mesa Verde, the top seed, back on top,

3-2, with a two-run home run.

The tight game titled once again -- and for the final time -- in

favor of second-seeded Sports World when Lance Stewart and Craig

Brashier each homered for a 7-6 lead through 3 1/2 innings.

But in the bottom of the fourth, Mesa Verde grabbed the lead for

good when Steve McKinley delivered the game’s big blow, a grand slam,

for a 10-7 lead.

McKinley added two more solo home runs in the contest to finish

with six RBIs overall.

Scott Henderson had the other Mesa Verde home run, a solo shot in

the sixth inning.

Stewart paced No. 2 seed Sports World with two home runs, a

single, walk and five RBIs.

Mesa Verde’s championship game opponent? Sports World, which

stayed alive in the double elimination event by bouncing back to

eliminate Courtesy Auto Body, 14-7.

Sports World erupted for eight home runs in the game, getting two

each from Mitch Kruger and Teo Moore and one apiece from Toon,

Brashier, John P. McMurray and Paul Corey.

Ted Davis, Mike Jewell and John Verdugo each hit first inning home

runs.

In Tuesday League playoff action:

The No. 2 and 4 seeds advanced as Ganahl Lumber knocked defending

champion Used Cars into loser’s brackets play and Island Shade upset

regular season champion Sandpiper.

Island Shade 11, Sandpiper 2

Island Shade’s Bruce Aguinaldo threw an eight-hitter at Sandpiper

and backed his pitching with a home run and two singles, good for

four RBIs.

Coby Naess contributed four more runs for No. 4 seed Island Shade

offense with a third inning grand slam, and Tom Taylor clubbed a pair

of solo homers.

Dave Sommerville homered in the first inning and Jeff Newman

doubled to lead Sandpiper, the tournament’s top seed.

Ganahl Lumber 7, Used Cars 2

Ganahl Lumber advanced as Greg Wallace delivered three singles,

Gary Rauch hit a two-run homer and walked, Dave Wallace doubled and

singled and Steve Dixon singled twice.

Ed Mari hit a home run and singled to lead No. 6 seed Used Cars.

Rotary 8, Team Viagra 7

Dave Zogg’s two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning

lifted No. 3 seed Rotary and eliminate No. 7 seed Team Viagra.

Brian Jones homered and singled twice, Mike Tackett homered and

singled and Donn Johnson drove in three Rotarians with two singles.

Butch Carroll and Derek Rowland each singled three times, and

Keith Mulvaney homered and singled to lead Team Viagra.