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BIG
LEAGUE DREAMS, CATHEDRAL CITY – FINAL: En Fuego 13, Traveling
Circus 4
Solid
play all the way around enabled En Fuego (4-0) to win the 2007
annual PSTS spring tournament held at Big League Dreams Fields in
Cathedral City. With a solid pitching performance and a strong
defense behind him, Craig Watkins
led En Fuego to four straight victories and the tournament title.
“You can really say that just about everyone deserves to be
all-tourney in this one.” Watkins said referring to the team’s
performance. “We played nearly flawless in the field and had the
timely hitting we needed to get by our opponents.” Added Watkins
En
Fuego was able to get by eventual tournament runner-up Unleashed in
the first game of the day. Tied 4-4 heading to the top of the sixth
inning En Fuego rallied in the sixth and seventh innings to pull out
a 13-8 victory. In the second game, a bit of a pitching duel,
Watkins held DMX to two runs; one earned and held on for the
victory. In the third game of the day En Fuego faced off with Scar
Tissue. With a dominating performance, led by outfielder Mike
Lorton’s sixth inning grand slam home run, En Fuego moved past
Scar Tissue 20-15 and advanced on to the next round. In the final
game En Fuego faced Traveling Circus whom they had beaten the only
two previous times they played in tournaments and jumped out to an
early lead and never looked back. The 13-4 victory made En Fuego
tournament champs. Overall it was the 10th tournament championship
in team history for En Fuego. “Each player contributed whether it
was getting the timely hit or making a key play in the field.”
Said Third baseman Jason England.
“It was another great team effort for En Fuego.”
The
player with the most outstanding effort for En Fuego was tournament
MVP shortstop Cesar Reyes. When
informed he was named MVP, along with his excitement, he was a bit
surprised as well. “Cesar couldn’t believe he was named MVP. He
even suggested that another player on the team gave up the award for
him.” Said En Fuego manager Craig Watkins. The player Reyes
referred to was teammate and outfielder James
Verdi. Verdi batted .700 and scored seven runs to help lead En
Fuego to victory and earn all-tournament honors. But it was Reyes
who slightly outshined Verdi’s outstanding day. Reyes belted two
home runs to lead En Fuego including a first inning grand slam in
the second game of the day versus DMX, which En Fuego held on to win
7-2. He drove in a team leading eleven RBI, scored seven runs and
batted .692 second only to Verdi. With his huge day offensively and
strong play at shortstop, Reyes earned his first tournament MVP with
En Fuego.
Along
with Verdi also earning all-tourney honors were outfielders Mike and
Kevin Lorton. Both played well
defensively and stepped it up offensively to help lead En Fuego.
Mike Lorton was second on the team with eight RBI on the day and
tied Verdi and Reyes for runs scored with seven. In the lead off
spot Kevin Lorton finished the day reaching base nine consecutive
times to jump start the En Fuego offense.
Also
contributing for En Fuego was outfielder Vince
Petruzzi and catcher Greg Reynolds.
Petruzzi anchored the defense in centerfield making many plays
during the day including a spectacular diving grab to hold off En
Fuego opponents. Reynolds and Petruzzi both batted over .500 for the
tournament.
Third baseman Jason England played solid at the hot corner
and batted .500. All in all it was a great day for En Fuego as each
player contributed to the championship win. |
