Teams compete in two-day tournament in Gilroy
Gilroy – Two teams used different paths to collect championships Tuesday as the Gilroy Community Services Department presented the 34th annual Co-Rec Fourth of July Tournament on four local softball fields.
Dee’z Nutz & Cherriez took the high road in the B Division, winning two straight to reach the Tuesday afternoon finals and then splitting a pair of games with defending champion Sandlot to emerge with a 3-1 record and the title.
Summer Fun took the tougher path to the C Division title, finally dispatching the Bombers 15-9 in the extra game of the double-elimination event. Summer Fun opened the nine-team with a 13-3 victory over the VFW Vets Monday night, then stumbled early Tuesday to earn a spot in the loser’s bracket. Manager Joel Garcia’s charges regrouped to win five games while playing at three different sites in a span of less than seven hours.
Chicks N’ Sticks opened the B Division Monday with a 7-6 edging of JR’s Crew at Christmas Hill Park. Chicks N’ Sticks fell victim to Dee’z 11-8 in the Monday nightcap.
Dee’z then faced fellow unbeaten Pacific Coast Bail Bonds in the late morning semi-finals. Rocket Sakay’s thee-run home run with two out in the top of the seventh lifted Pacific Coast Bail Bonds to a 16-16 tie with Dee’z. Gino Martinez then ended the suspense in the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run to lead off the Dee’z half of the frame. Louie Garcia went 4-for-4 to highlight the 17-16 Dee’z upset. Esco Hernandez doubled, tripled and homered for Pacific Coast.
Sandlot shook off a 21-8 loss to Pacific Coast Bail Bonds on Monday night by opening Tuesday play with a 15-5 decision over Come Get Some. Sandlot eased past Chicks N’ Sticks 25-1, held off JR’s Crew 7-3 and reached the final two by tripping Pacific Coast 6-5. Rich Medellin went 3-for-3 to help Sandlot past Pacific Coast.
Ralph Martinez collected two hits and scored two runs as Sandlot stopped Dee’z 5-4 in the first game of the B finals. Willie Gamboa homered in a losing cause.
Vicki Velasquez went 3-for-3 and scored three runs as Sandlot built an 11-10 lead over Dee’z in the finale. Dee’z rallied in the bottom of the seventh for two runs and a 12-11 championship triumph as Louie Garcia, Monica Pantoja and Martinez laced consecutive one-out hits. Garcia paced the champions with two home runs.
Pacific Coast Bail Bonds claimed the third-place trophy, JR’s Crew fourth in the seven-team B Division.
Kenny Hopf homered and Michelle Marshall scored three runs to lift Summer Fun past VFW Vets in the C tournament opener Monday at Gavilan Sports Park.
Radiator Doctor powered past Summer Fun 10-7 Tuesday morning at Las Animas Park. Ruben Guevara homered in a four extra-base hit showing for the Doctor. Art Naranjo scored three Summer Fun runs in the loss.
Summer Fun traveled to the minor field at Christmas Hill to top Red, White & Boom 18-4, then played at Gavilan in a 13-0 blanking of Just For Fun, the fourth-place finisher.
The Bombers improved to 3-0 with a 12-6 win over Radiator Doctor in the semi-finals, paced by homers from Jess Lopez Jr. and Steve Arriaga. Dropped into the semi-finals, Radiator Doctor then fell 14-4 to Summer Fun to finish third.
Brenda Subia scored three runs to lead Summer Fun by the Bombers 8-5 in the finals opener.
Naranjo and Gabriel Ponce each stroked a triple and two singles to pace Summer Fun (6-1) to the 15-9 win in the C finale. Arriaga and Lopez Jr. each went 4-for-4 for the runner-up club.
