7-Under:
The Diamond Stingrays have had one of the top programs in the country for many years now thanks to raw talent and excellent coaching. Their 10-Under team just finished 1st Place in the Elite World Series, and their 12-Under team took 2nd Place. Seeing them enter playoffs as an undefeated 2nd Seed was not much of a surprise. They made it to the Championship game undefeated, where they met up with the stubborn Chino Hills Thunder yet again.
The Chino Thunder had a much longer road to the Championship game. After falling in the Semi-Finals to the Diamond Stingrays, they had to battle their way through the Losers Bracket, eventually upsetting the 1st Seed, and making their way to the Championship game. Already having one loss, the Thunder had to win two in a row over the Stingrays in order to take home the Championship.
The first game went in Thunder's favor, with them putting up a shut out against the dominating Stingrays.
In what was the only If Game of the World Series, the Stingrays jumped out to an early 5-1 lead after 2 Innings. The Thunder weren't ready to give up just yet though. Finding a late 4th Inning Rally, they tied the score at 5-5 to make it a new baseball game. The tied score wouldn't last long though. The Stingrays answered back in the top of the 5th with 4 more runs. With the score 9-5, the Stingrays buckled down, and held the Thunder for two more innings, escaping the stressful If Game, and taking home first place.
7-Under Champions - Diamond Stingrays MVP
8-Under:
The Chino Hills Thunder organization was having themselves quite a successful World Series. With 7-Under taking home 2nd Place, the 8-Under team looked to take it one step further. Coming into Sunday as the 5th Seed, they wasted no time upsetting the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Seeds, giving up just 9 runs in three Winner's Bracket Playoff Games.Sneaking into the Championship Bracket as the 8th Seed, the So Cal Shockers lost to the 1st Seed in their second game of the playoffs. Not ready to go home just yet, they battled through the Loser's Bracket, knocking out the 10th, 6th, 3rd, and 2nd Seeds to make it all the way to the Championship game against the Thunder.
Despite already having played two more games than the Thunder, the Shockers kept the Thunder's offense at bay, taking a 1-1 tie into the 4th Inning. The Thunder took their first lead of the game with a 4th inning run, making the score 2-1. With a 2-1 score headed into the final inning, the Shockers were hoping to hold the Thunder to give them a shot at some last minute heroics. The Thunder had a different outcome in mind. With their bats finally waking up in the top of the 6th Inning, the Thunder put up 7 runs, putting the game out of reach, and taking home the Gold.
8-Under Champions - Chino Hills Thunder
8-Under Runner Ups - So Cal Shockers
9-Under AA:
Some days you get a miraculous streak by an underdog taking all the High Seeds by surprise. The 9-Under AA was not one of these situations. The So Cal Muscle and Los Al Rampage were the 1st and 2nd Seeds heading into the Playoffs. After both easily winning their quarter final games, they faced each other for the first time in the tournament in the Semifinals. The Rampage got the upper hand, taking a 8-6 victory into the Championship Game.
The Muscle dropped down to the Loser's Bracket, but quickly eliminated the 3rd Seed, getting themselves into the Championship Game. Facing the Rampage for the second time in 24 hours, they came determined to not repeat history.
The Muscle jumped out to an early 6-3 lead after 2 Innings. The Rampage however, kept chipping away. After the 4th Inning, the score was 7-5 with the Muscle on top. Rampage kept cutting the lead away, one by one. A run in the 5th, and a run in the top of the 6th tied the score at 7-7. Headed into extra innings, Rampage scored yet another run, giving them a 8-7 lead. With the pressure on, the Rampage defense was able to hold the Muscle, and the Rampage took home a hard fought, and well deserved 1st Place trophy.
Good Sportsmanship at the Awards Ceremonies
9-Under AA Champions - Los Alamitos Rampage
10-Under AA:
When the 2nd Seed So Cal Tribe met with the 3rd Seed Pomona Titans for their first showdown in playoffs, both teams had just come off of low scoring one run victories. The two undefeated teams battled in the quarter final game, in what turned out to be another one run game, this time going in favor of the Tribe.
The Titans would have to battle their way through the Losers Bracket to have another shot at the Tribe. After winning two Loser's Bracket games, they faced the 1st Seed (beaten by the Tribe in the Winners Bracket Semifinal). Not a team looking to back down, they faced them head on, scoring 12 runs, knocking the 1st Seed out of the tournament, and advancing to the Championship game.
The Tribe jumped out to an early lead, scoring 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st Inning. The Titans cut it in half in the top of the 3rd, but the Tribe turned right back around and scored one of their own in the bottom of the inning. The same thing happened in the 5th Inning with the Titans scoring one, and the Tribe answering right back with one of their own. Despite threatening in the top of the 6th Inning, the Titans couldn't get those final runs across, giving the Tribe a 4-2 Championship victory.
11-Under AA:
Winning is obviously important at any stage of a tournament, but in a Double Elimination bracket, it's never been so crucial. The SC Tritons Black Entered Playoffs as the 2nd Seed. This gave them an automatic bye to the Quarter Finals. After winning that game, and their Semi-Final game, they advanced to finals, using only two games worth of pitching.
X on the other hand, had to battle all the way through the Loser's Bracket after a Quarterfinal Loss. They knocked out the 5th and 6th Seeds before facing the 1st Seed in the Semifinal game. A hard fought 11-10 victory moved them to the Championship game.
Tritons, now on their 3rd game of playoffs would face X, who was on their 6th game of playoffs. That being said, X kept it close, tying the score at 2-2 in the top of the 4th Inning. They couldn't hold on to the tie though, and the well rested Tritons put up three more runs in the next two innings, giving them a 5-2 Championship Victory.
13-Under AA:
The 12-Under game may have been slightly one-sided, but the 13-Under Championship was the stuff stories are made of. The East Bay Bandits jumped out to what should have been a comfortable 10-2 lead after 2 innings. But the So Cal Select wasn't going to give up that easy. Scoring five runs in the 3rd Inning, and three in the 4th Inning, they cut the least down to 11-10. With a run in the top of the 6th, they tied the game at 11-11. So Cal Select's pitcher though, now on his 6th inning of the game, couldn't hold the red hot Bandits. The Bandits scored three runs to take a 14-11 lead. They held the Select in the top of the 7th, and took a 14-11 1st Place Victory back to Northern California with them.
When the 2nd Seed So Cal Tribe met with the 3rd Seed Pomona Titans for their first showdown in playoffs, both teams had just come off of low scoring one run victories. The two undefeated teams battled in the quarter final game, in what turned out to be another one run game, this time going in favor of the Tribe.
The Titans would have to battle their way through the Losers Bracket to have another shot at the Tribe. After winning two Loser's Bracket games, they faced the 1st Seed (beaten by the Tribe in the Winners Bracket Semifinal). Not a team looking to back down, they faced them head on, scoring 12 runs, knocking the 1st Seed out of the tournament, and advancing to the Championship game.
The Tribe jumped out to an early lead, scoring 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st Inning. The Titans cut it in half in the top of the 3rd, but the Tribe turned right back around and scored one of their own in the bottom of the inning. The same thing happened in the 5th Inning with the Titans scoring one, and the Tribe answering right back with one of their own. Despite threatening in the top of the 6th Inning, the Titans couldn't get those final runs across, giving the Tribe a 4-2 Championship victory.
10-Under AA Champions - So Cal Tribe
Winning is obviously important at any stage of a tournament, but in a Double Elimination bracket, it's never been so crucial. The SC Tritons Black Entered Playoffs as the 2nd Seed. This gave them an automatic bye to the Quarter Finals. After winning that game, and their Semi-Final game, they advanced to finals, using only two games worth of pitching.
X on the other hand, had to battle all the way through the Loser's Bracket after a Quarterfinal Loss. They knocked out the 5th and 6th Seeds before facing the 1st Seed in the Semifinal game. A hard fought 11-10 victory moved them to the Championship game.
Tritons, now on their 3rd game of playoffs would face X, who was on their 6th game of playoffs. That being said, X kept it close, tying the score at 2-2 in the top of the 4th Inning. They couldn't hold on to the tie though, and the well rested Tritons put up three more runs in the next two innings, giving them a 5-2 Championship Victory.
11-Under AA Champions - SC Tritons
12-Under AA:
By the end of a week long tournament, joints are tired, arms are sore, and minds are exhausted. Not every Championship game will be nail biter. The FCBA Cobras capped off their perfect World Series with a 12-1 Championship victory. They went 6-0 in the tournament, and gave up just 12 runs all week long. Some stellar defensive plays in the last inning of the Championship game squashed any chance of a rally by their opponents.
FCBA Cobras Celebrating on the field.
12-Under AA Champions - FCBA Cobras
12-Under AA Runner Ups - Xplosion
The 12-Under game may have been slightly one-sided, but the 13-Under Championship was the stuff stories are made of. The East Bay Bandits jumped out to what should have been a comfortable 10-2 lead after 2 innings. But the So Cal Select wasn't going to give up that easy. Scoring five runs in the 3rd Inning, and three in the 4th Inning, they cut the least down to 11-10. With a run in the top of the 6th, they tied the game at 11-11. So Cal Select's pitcher though, now on his 6th inning of the game, couldn't hold the red hot Bandits. The Bandits scored three runs to take a 14-11 lead. They held the Select in the top of the 7th, and took a 14-11 1st Place Victory back to Northern California with them.
13-Under AA Champions - East Bay Elite
13-Under AA Tournament MVP - Jose DelGadillo
Thank you to all the teams that played in our final tournament of the 2013 Season. We can't wait to see you all in 2014. Here is a list of the Champions and Runner Ups from the Consolation Bracket.
See you on the fields
-AC
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