After 0-4 start, Las Animas softball squad evens record
GILROY – Three weeks ago, the Las Animas Sweepers were 0-4, midway through an eight-game Men’s Winter C League campaign and looking up at the other five teams. Four wins later, the Sweepers will open the playoffs on Oct. 14 with the top seed in the four-team showdown series.
The Las Animas Sweepers rallied past the VFW Vets 12-10 Tuesday to create a five-team tie for the C league title at Las Animas Park.
Five teams finished with 4-4 records, with only the Playaz at 3-5.
After the 0-4 start, the Sweepers began the last-to-first rush with a 13-10 win over VFW Vets on Sept. 19, then added decisions over Guy’s Heating (12-10) and Good Fellas (8-6) before earning the top seed in the playoffs with Tuesday’s upset.
Las Animas claimed the first seed in next week’s playoffs with the best record among games between the Sweepers, Guy’s Heating and VFW Vets. Good Fellas, with a 9-6 nod over fellow 4-4 club Dee’s Nuts, claimed the fourth and final playoff seed with the winning record against Dee’s.
Daniel Montenegro tripled and scored on a Chris Hernandez single as the Vets built a 10-5 lead in the fourth inning. Las Animas Sweepers responded with a three-run fifth capped by a Jason Thomas two-run double. Five consecutive two-out hits, including a two-run Joe Benavides single, completed the comeback in the sixth.
Brian Cortez went 3-for-3 with a Sweeper home run. Anthony Gonzalez went 4-for-4, Johnny Adams 3-for-3 and Hernandez 3-for-4 for the Vets.
Joe Ojeda and Matt Piedmont produced three hits each as the Good Fellas bounced Dee’s Nuts from the post-season. Roy Alba went 3-for-3 for Dee’s.
The Playaz topped Guy’s Heating 13-3 behind home runs by Daniel DeLeon and Bobby Galvan. Benny Garcia Jr. went 3-for-3 for the Playaz. Dave Hernandez went 2-for-3 for Guy’s.
The Las Animas Sweepers will play the Good Fellas at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Las Animas Park. Guy’s Heating will face the VFW Vets at 7:40 p.m. The winners will play at 8:50 for the championship trophy and t-shirts.
The Men’s Winter E League will hold playoffs Tuesday Oct. 14 at Christmas Hill Park. Cosa Nostra, the regular-season titlist at 6-2, plays fourth-seed VFW Bingo at 6:30 p.m. The Boss Hawgs and the Slammers, each 5-3, plat at 7:40 p.m. The winners meet at 8:50 p.m. for the playoff crown.
The Boss Hawgs prepped for the playoffs with a 13-7 victory over Cosa Nostra Tuesday at Christmas Hill.
Mike Sandoval and Jose Adame hit home runs as Cosa Nostra moved ahead 5-0 after four innings. Danny Hinojos and Anthony Bautista hit consecutive two-run hits in the fifth as the Boss Hawgs tallied six runs. Gabriel Rodriguez hit a two-run double in a seven-run sixth for the winners.
Ray Morelos went 4-for-4 as VFW Bingo reached the playoffs with a 24-3 win over Blackout Window Tinting. Alex Pena and Jason Corral each singled and tripled for Blackout.
Tim Adams and John Day each went 4-for-5 as Covenant completed the season with a 16-7 nod over the Slammers. Maciel Urinda homered in a 3-for-4 night for the Slammers.
