January 22, 2005

LAKESIDE PARK, SIMI VALLEY – FINAL: En Fuego 18, Gashouse/Easton 17

With an amazing come from behind victory in the championship game over Gashouse/Easton of Glendale, En Fuego broke the hearts of the Gashouse fans to win the 2004 SCMAF Tournament of Champions.  After losing to Gashouse earlier in the day, 14-8, En Fuego beat the Duck Whistles of Santa Maria 21-9 and had to take down Gashouse twice to take home the title.  In the first game they avenged their earlier loss jumping all over Gashouse winning 17-5 setting the stage for a “winner take all” match-up.

Gashouse came back strong in the championship game leading nine to nothing heading into the bottom of the third inning.  En Fuego rallied with six runs in the inning capped off by all-tournament catcher Jason Santoro’s home run.  Just when En Fuego felt like they were gaining momentum Gashouse struck back scoring six in the top of the fourth inning to stretch the lead to nine again, 15-6.

2004 SCMAF T.O.C. CHAMPIONS
Top Row (L to R): Ryan Sauers, Mike Kerr, James Verdi, Mike Lorton, Corrie Willkie, Jason Santoro.
Bottom Row (L to R): Cesar Reyes, Jason England, Craig Watkins, Dan Jacobs.
(Not pictured: Greg Reynolds)

En Fuego pitcher Craig Watkins finally figured out how to slow down the Gashouse line-up and allowed only two runs over the next three innings while the En Fuego offense caught fire.  They scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth and five in the bottom of the sixth.  They took a one run lead in the bottom of the sixth when all-tournament outfielder Corrie Willkie smashed a dramatic three-run home run that gave En Fuego a one run lead heading to the seventh and final inning.  Gashouse scored one to even the score and set the stage for Santoro again.  With the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Santoro singled home the winning run for En Fuego, making them the 2004 SCMAF T.O.C. Champions.

James Verdi was named the tournament MVP for En Fuego.  Verdi went 5-for-5 in the championship game and batted .652 with 10 RBI and 10 runs overall playing solid defensively in the outfield as well.  Other En Fuego players named to the all-tournament team were second baseman Mike Kerr, shortstop Cesar Reyes and outfielders Greg Reynolds and Dan Jacobs.  Reynolds batted a perfect 1.000 (10-for-10) for the tourney.

EN FUEGO ALL-TOURNEY PLAYERS
(L to R): SS Cesar Reyes, 2B Mike Kerr, MVP OF James Verdi, OF Corrie Willkie,
and C Jason Santoro.  (Not pictured: OF Dan Jacobs, OF Greg Reynolds)

The tournament was split between two weekends due to unexpected rainy weather in Cathedral City in November.  That weekend En Fuego started the tournament off by beating Arsenal 16-15 with a last inning victory. In the second game at Fenway Park at the Big League Dreams they dismantled Dip This 18-8.

It marked the third straight year En Fuego had appeared in the championship game.  In 2002, their first appearance in the finals after five previous attempts, they were runner-up to Bye-You. In 2003 they won their first title, knocking off league rival the Penetrators.  The 2004 win made En Fuego 2003-2004 back-to-back SCMAF T.O.C. Champions.

Semi-Final:
GH       014-00---5
EF        40(12)-01---17
Records: EF (4-1), GH (3-1)

Final:
GH       270-610-1---17
EF        006-245-1---18
Records: EF (5-1), GH (3-2)  

SCMAF T.O.C. Official Results