Island Shade, Mesa Verde Partners win titles

Island Shade and Mesa Verde Partners defended their titles from the

2002 season as they each claimed championships in the city of Laguna

Beach Community Services Department’s men’s summer 16 slow pitch

softball playoffs.

TUESDAY/THURSDAY LEAGUE

Island Shade took two games from Sandpiper by identical 5-4

scores, to claim the postseason title.

Island Shade, Sandpiper and Team Viagra had tied for the regular

season championship.

In the first victory over Sandpiper, Chuck Emanuele and Mike Burns

each hit a home run to account for three runs and teammate Coby Naess

went three for three.

Ryan Neptune homered twice and knocked in three runs to lead

Sandpiper, which also received a solo home run from Mickey Allen.

In the second showdown, Paul Sahargun delivered the game-winning

RBI in the bottom of the seventh to clinch the title for Island

Shade.

Back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the first inning by Naess

and Tom Taylor ignited Island Shade to a 2-0 lead. Neptune, however,

belted a three-run homer in the top of the third to give Sandpiper a

3-2 edge.

That lead held until the bottom of the sixth, when Naess and

Taylor repeated their first inning feat as each hit a solo home run,

as Island Shade regained the lead at 4-3.

Sandpiper’s Dave Sommerville delivered an RBI hit in the top of

the seventh had tied the game a final time at 4-4.

Bruce Aguinaldo recorded the pitching win.

Island Shade claimed the championship the hard way as it won three

games on the final night of play.

They reached the showdowns with Sandpiper by outlasting Rotary,

7-6, in an 11-inning, loser’s bracket final.

With the score tied 6-6 with one out in the bottom of the 11th,

Jeremiah Dietrich doubled and scored the winning run on a Rotary

error.

Emanuele hit a three-run home run and Burns hit a solo home run

for Island Shade.

Jason Jankanish homered and singled to lead Rotary.

The Island Shade roster also includes Andy Bunn, Al Jones, Wade

Jones, Chuck Hathoot, Chris Plamondon and Kevin Ketchum.

WEDNESDAY LEAGUE

Mesa Verde Partners won three straight postseason games to repeat

as league champion, routing surprise finalist Sammy’s Burgers, 16-0,

in the postseason final.

Mesa Verde also had won the regular season title.

Phil McManus was in top form on the mound and went two for two

with a triple and two RBI to aid his own cause.

Danny Lee’s big offensive game included two home runs and a

double.

Sammy’s Burgers reached the title game by upsetting Sports World,

12-8, in the loser’s bracket final as Arlin Reid and Greg Kain each

hit a grand slam and Bill Albert hit a two-RBI triple.

Sports World got home runs from John P. McMurray, Lance Stewart

and Bill Toon.

Sports World had been relegated to the loser’s bracket following

an 8-2 loss to Mesa Verde Partners.

McManus pitched a six-hitter and gave up home run and single to

Teo Moore.

Jeff Greenough hit a three-RBI home run and singled, Scott

Henderson hit two solo homers and singled, Dave Sommerville hit a

three-RBI home run and Jerry Writer and Jeff Pich each singled twice

two lead Mesa Verde’s offense.

The Mesa Verde Partner lineup also includes Steve Bryant, Ranie

Martini, Steve McKinley, Dave Meggison and Ryan Neptune.