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Lions roar to Babe Ruth National regular season title, top-seed, playoffs start tonight

Bears finish first in American League

 

Weathering a rainy start to the 2011 Sonoma Valley Babe Ruth Baseball campaign, the Lions roared through schedule and, after finishing sixth last year, completed their last-to-first-place run and recently captured the National League’s regular-season title.

The Lions also claimed the top-seed for the Valley’s Babe Ruth postseason championship playoffs, which begin tonight at Arnold Field.

As of presstime, there was a possibility of rain in the forecast for today, so tonight’s opening-round games could be pushed to tomorrow evening, Wednesday, June 29.

Joining the top-seeded Lions in the National League four-team playoffs are the second-place, defending-champion Cubs, the third-place Moose and the fourth-place Stallions, with the Rotary and Colts rounding out the league.

Tonight’s 7:30 p.m. opening-round game of the National League playoffs at Arnold Field has the first-seed Lions playing the fourth-seed Stallions, with the second-seed Cubs facing the third-seed Moose in first-round action at the same time this Thursday evening, June 30.

The winners of both openers will battle for the Babe Ruth National League playoffs title at 7:30 p.m. this Friday night, July 1.

If the regular-season champion Lions win tonight’s game, they would have to be beaten twice to be denied their second-straight playoff crown, with the possible second championship game set for noon Saturday, July 2.

Comprising the 2011 regular-season-champion Lions – directed by manager Jeremy Tayson and coach Kevin Miller – are Logan Ebert, Jimmy Flatt, Mitch Hood, Freddie Jeppesen, Donnie Krause, Shane Lounibos, Spencer McNairy, Logan Onstatt, Zachary Parr, Jesse Summers, Michael Sunia and Garrett Walker.

The second-seeded Cubs – directed by manager Joe Lunny and coaches Mario Alioto and Justin Garrett – consist of Vincent Albano, Ronnie Cotter, Richard Denning, Cole Harper, D.J. Hellman, Cordell Kenniston, Wyatt Lennon, James McKale, Tyler Ramsey, Lucas Silberman, Jay Swisher and Ryan Wilbanks.

Comprising the third-seeded Moose – directed by manager Kenny Amoroso and coaches John Casey and John Garcia Sr. – are Henry Dixon, Devon Graff, Alex Gustafsen, Miles Hagin, Nate Hutton, MacLean Meyn, Victor Mieling, William Mieling, Damian Sanchez, Max Schimm, Zach Thompson and Robby Woodworth.

The fourth-seeded Stallions – directed by manager Dean Bonfigli and coaches Rich Blanchard and John Blanchard – consist of Hank Anderson, Austin Bailey, Brett Bonfigli, Thomas Crumley, Andrew DeMartini, Bill Engelbreth, Alonso Jimenez, Warren Kelsay, Brendan Natuzzi, Richard Nunez, Trevor Severson and Matthew Troiano.

Comprising the Rotary – directed by manager Lonnie Oaks and coaches Jon Ballard and Richie Garcia – were Christian Ballard, Jose Barios, Kyle Garcia, Graham Herder, Jackson Keechler, Chris Ludlow, Steven Mcveigh, John Murphy, Cody Oaks, Gabe Robles, Mike Stovall and Keenan Tuohy.

The Colts – directed by manager Manny Alcantar and coach Gerard Serafini – consisted of Cole Cavalli, Kyle Dunevent, Connor Griggs-Demmin, James Hess, Jacob Lantz, Jeffrey McGunagle, Arthur Morgan, Nicolas Olascoaga, Gavin Orr, Edward Pomeroy, Giordi Serafini and Lauren Simpson-Gomez.

 

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The Sonoma Valley Babe Ruth Baseball’s American League first-place finisher and the top-seed for the postseason playoffs are the Bears, who will play the fourth-seeded A’s in today’s 5 p.m. opening-round game at Arnold Field.

Then in this Thursday’s, June 30, 5 p.m. first-round game, the Broncos and Warriors battle as the second-place-tied and second- and third-seeds, respectively, with the American League playoffs title-game at the same time on Friday, July 1.

Comprising the top-seeded Bears – directed by manager Marcus Amantite and coach Max Hilliard – are Gregorio Alvarez, Tyler Dunlap, Benjamin Guiterrez, Isaac Gylfe, Griffin Hilliard, Jose Jimenez, Conor McCarthy, Dante Monterosso, Derek Raffo, Calvin Sanders, Van Scott and Nick Sperry.

The second-seeded Broncos – directed by manager Ryan Fay and coach Dan Sheehan – are Eduardo Barajas, Dylan Bearg, Joseph Decker, Quenton Dugan, Nick Fantozzi, Abel Fragosa, Ross Hage, Joey Lucchetti, Roman Morrongiello, Joey Petersen, Jose Rubio and Jonathan Sutter.

Comprising the third-seeded Warriors – directed by manager Troy McDonald and coaches Rick Burgo and Dennis Martin – are Nicolas DeTorres, Connor Eastwick, Dante Fernandez, Magnus Forsythe, Sam Gray, Jack Greenberg, Jacob Little, John Little, Dean Martin, Jake McDonald, Jack Nugent, Trevor Welch and Bailey Woodworth.

The fourth-seeded A’s – directed by manager Ray Sullivan and coach John Blanchard – consist of William Biersch, Kaden Cable, Vincent Caruso, Austin Chapin, Lucas Chipchase, Travis Claeys, Holden Coons, Ector Garcia, Jack Hart, Gunnar Paulson, Joe Plume, Riley Rohrbacker and Brett Sullivan.