WITH LATE INNING COME FROM BEHIND VICTORIES THEY STUN THE COMPETITION AND WIN THEIR 14^th LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP IN TEAM HISTORY

July 20, 2006

LAGUNA HILLS – FINAL: En Fuego 17, Dead End 15

Not without controversy was En Fuego able to win the 2006 Summer Thursday Night Laguna Hills League Championship after a season in which they struggled offensively and finished (5-5) and entered the playoffs as the 4th seed. Needing a win in the final game of the season En Fuego cooled off a hot hitting Dead End team a week before, outlasting them 11-7 to earn a spot in the playoffs. There they would face the defending champion Bull Dawgs who had won five straight over En Fuego. Playing with only nine players because of a roster protest by En Fuego manager Craig Watkins, that held up, the Bull Dawgs didn’t miss a beat. The lead changed four times and after the fifth inning the game was tied at fifteen apiece. Neither team trailed by more than three runs during the intense contest. After the sixth inning, the Bull Dawgs led by one run heading into the seventh and final inning. With one out, outfielder Corrie Willkie and shortstop Cesar Reyes each singled setting the stage for En Fuego catcher Jason Santoro. Santoro who earlier pulled a groin muscle, but was able to remain in the game belted a dramatic clutch three-run home run that put En Fuego on top 18-16.  Santoro went 3-for-3 with five RBI and three runs scored in the game. The Bull Dawgs were able to get two more outs to retire the side but in the bottom half of the seventh En Fuego shut the door on the Bull Dawgs and held on for an 18-16 victory. With the win En Fuego advanced to the finals to face Dead End who had earlier upset Spring Training for the right to play for the league championship.

In the final game En Fuego, scored four times in the top of the first inning and three times in the top of the third inning to take a 7-1 lead. Dead End came back in the bottom of the third and fourth innings scoring seven runs to take an 8-7 lead heading into the fifth. En Fuego tied the score in the top of the fifth at eight all, but then went flat over the next two innings. They allowed seven more runs over the next two innings to Dead End who was on the verge of winning their first Thursday night league championship at Laguna Hills. Trailing by six runs (15-9) entering the eighth and final inning, En Fuego had one last chance to mount a comeback and steal the victory. Leading off the top half of the eighth Santoro again crushed a home run to get the team going and bring En Fuego within five runs. That hit was followed by four consecutive hits and a total of eight in the inning as En Fuego rallied their way back from near defeat to score eight runs to go ahead by two, 17-15, in their last at bats. Jeff Johnson of En Fuego doubled in the inning to help En Fuego inch closer to taking the lead. After an intentional walk to his teammate Wade Jackson, James Verdi singled in the go ahead run for En Fuego. Feeling confident with a two run lead En Fuego new the game was not over as Dead End finally recorded the last out of the inning and would have their chance to win the game in the bottom of the eighth. With two outs and the tying runs on base and En Fuego holding on to their two run lead, En Fuego pitcher Craig Watkins was able to keep Dead End from the victory with a little help from his right fielder Kevin Lorton. Lorton charging in on a ball that came off the bat of the final batter for Dead End like a missile, made a diving shoe string catch to seal the win and made En Fuego the 2006 Thursday Night Summer Laguna Hills League Champions.

EN FUEGO SOFTBALL CLUB

2006 SUMMER THURSDAY NIGHT LAGUNA HILLS LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

Top Row (L to R): Ryan Sauers, Cesar Reyes, Jeff Johnson, Jason Santoro, Greg Reynolds, Vince Petruzzi, Corrie Willkie.
Bottom Row  (L to R): Kevin Lorton, Wade Jackson, Jason England, James Verdi, Mike Kerr, Craig Watkins.

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