November 4, 2006
Team Arizona and NorCal were the big winners, each earning a pair of victories to secure spots in Sunday’s 11 A.M. title game. Star Maker and Northwest Diamondsports White each split a pair of games and will play for the bronze medal at 8 A.M. Both games will be played in the complex’s main stadium, which serves as the Spring Training home for the Mariners and Padres.
Here’s a closer look at how each team reached the finals.
Semifinals
Team Arizona 7, Star Maker 6
After mounting a stunning morning rally in the quarterfinals Star Maker couldn’t turn the trick again in the semis as Cole Gleason put forth a gutty effort, throwing a complete game in which he pitched out of jams in each of the last two innings.
Arizona took a one-run lead into the bottom of the sixth but Star Maker put the first two men on against Gleason and appeared headed for another comeback win. But a 4-6-3 doubleplay and a lazy fly ball to left ended the threat. Star Maker also put two men on in the seventh inning but again Gleason, who scattered 10 hits, didn’t buckle, registering the final out on a bang-bang throw to first after a grounder to third.
"I’m a little tired and my arm is sore but I’m still able to throw," Gleason said. "I really wasn’t worried about my defense there at the end. I was more worried about my command. I knew if I just threw strikes my guys would come through. Walks had killed me in the early innings. I wasn’t really worried in the sixth because I knew my defense was solid."
NorCal 8, NW Diamondsports White 7 [Eight innings]
NorCal was the top seed heading into Saturday’s action and needed a come-from-behind, extra-inning victory to secure its place in the finals. It pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the eighth when Tyler Davis’ two-out, sharp grounder to short with the bases loaded took a bad hop and hit Ian Sagdal in the face. Sagdal went down and the winning run scored as Davis reached first safely.
The previous batter had swung at the first pitch, popping the ball to the right side of the infield, setting the stage for Davis’ grounder.
"I wasn’t thinking about taking a pitch, I was just looking for the first good pitch to hit," said Davis, who started a double play in the top half of the eighth that squashed a NWDS rally. "I wanted to see it and try to get a hit. I just love this now, I feel great. I love the game and am happy to be out here.
"I wasn’t worried at any point in the game, though. I knew we were going to win. I don’t anything about Team Arizona but it doesn’t matter."
In consolation-round action, the Arizona Dodgers defeated Beaverton, 15-10; Utah County topped NW Diamondsports Gray, 11-10; Team Idaho downed Salt Lake City South, 9-2; ASBA Pride 9, Salt Lake City South 0; and Team Idaho bested NW Diamondsports Gray, 16-5.
Kevin Czerwinski is a reporter for MLB.com.
