Game Day #10 - July 10, 2011

Islanders eliminated

Prior to Sunday morning's game, Islanders' coach Michael Harris reported that his team had failed to gel this season and would not be able to field a squad for the remainder of the season. This prompted acting commissioner Jim Donovan to call for a special managers' meeting to revise the playoff structure and to conduct a draft the remaining interested Islanders' players.

In Sunday morning's scheduled game, the opposing Thunder team was credited with a win and claimed 23-year-old rookie Casey Morris in the draft. Looking to the future, Earthquakes' manager Jeff Barbas claimed youth player Chase Benbow, and the Sharks snagged veteran utility player and fleet-footed Emilio Ibarra. Although not expecting any additions to the Black Sox' playoffs roster, coach Atlee Riddle. claimed a first refusal option on any remaining Islanders, most notably Guy Newbury.

They had to do it in dramatic fashion, and nothing is more dramatic than coming from behind to claim that final victory, is there? It was the first time since the 2006 Mariners that a team went undefeated for the entire regular season. Interestingly, it was the coach of this season's last-place team Michael Harris who piloted that "Mighty Mariners" team.

For the Sharks however, there is still more for the team and manager Ray Uribes to accomplish. In order to avoid an astersik alongside this perfect shortened season (a result of the reduced availability of Simmons Field), the playoffs await Uribes and his Waikoloa Banjy's Sharks. Can they be perfect throughout the playoffs, too? Time will tell.

If Sunday afternoon's first inning repeats itself, the Sharks may have their problems ... for it was a four-run start by the first four batters in the Earthquakes' lineup. The Sharks' Cindarella season appeared to headed for a cracked glass slipper due to an earthquake. But who ever heard that nusery-room story?

Instead, the Sharks began a methodical comeback, nibbling at their opponent's lead. Finally getting to the Earthquakes' starting pitcher Steve Furcher, who perhaps was pulled due to a shoulder injury, the Sharks began to feast on Phil Prisby's "frisbees".

Thanks to a four-run third inning, the Sharks took the lead. With another score in the fourth, the lleague-leaders looked to be operating in cruise control. Menwhile, there was hardly a rumble from the Earthquakes, scoreless in innings #2 through #5.

However, before popping any champagne bottle corks, the Sharks had two innings to play and a pitcher who was approaching a pitch count of 100. In contrast to last week's strtegy, the Sharks elected to stick with starting pitcher Keegan Lerma in this one, a strategy that almost backfired. The Earthquakes tied the score with a pair of runs in the sixth inning, an inning that truly belonged to Bobby Cherry.

Despite the Earthquakes' eventual loss, the sixth inning was undoubtedly the finest athletic display in Bobby Cherry's involvement in the league. Offensiely, he lead off the inning with a base hit and scored a run. In the bottom half of the frame, the shortstop snuffed out any thoughts of a Sharks' rally by fielding three challenging ground balls, converting each to an out to retire the side with only the help of his first baseman.

Justifyiably so, this game went to the seventh inning before it was decided. It was fitting that the Sharks eighth win should be scored by Ryan Landis, sporting jersey number 8. After leading off the inning with a single, Landis scored the walk-off winning run batted in by Mike West.

Despite objections by Kona Baseball.com league members and others, Simmons Field will be closed for County of Hawaii maintenance between July 17, 2011, and August 28, 2011. To the amazement of many, county recreation department personnel decided to close the only baseball filed on the west side of the island ... during, of all times, the middle of baseball season.

The playoffs begin with two best-of-three series featuring team #1 (Sharks) against team #4 (Black Sox) and team #2 (Earthquakes) against team #3 (Thunder). The two victorious teams will then face off in the championship (also a best-of-three) series.

At 10:00 a.m., it will be the Black Sox at the Sharks.

2011 Pitching records

Keegan Lerma, Sharks _______________ 5-0
Jorge Perez, Sharks ________________ 2-0
Kai Miller, Black Sox ______________ 1-0
Hopu Ahonima-Blanco, Black Sox _____ 1-0
Cameron Smay, Thunder ______________ 0-0 (1 save)
Nolan Coyle, Thunder _______________ 3-3
Phil Prisby, Earthquakes ___________ 2-2
Kito Newman, Black Sox _____________ 1-1
Steve Furchner, Earthquakes ________ 0-1
Jon Vitale, Thunder ________________ 0-1
Casey Morris, Islanders ____________ 0-1
Juan Lozano, Islanders _____________ 0-1
Cameron Kawai, Black Sox ___________ 0-2
Mike Delillo, Islanders ____________ 0-3

KonaBaseball.com League 2010 Champions: Shut-D Black Sox

Front Row: Holden Pattengill, Bailey Pattengill, Atlee Riddle, Benny Alcoran

Back Row: Nick Hill, Hopu Ahonima-Blanco, Mike Oshita, John Brumbaugh, Sam Hori, Cameron Kawai

Black Sox co-captains Nick Hill and Atlee Riddle celebrate their team's 2010 championship. John Brumbaugh displays perpetual plaque.

KonaBaseball.com League umpire-in-chief Jim Donovan presents Earthquakes' manager Jeff Barbas with the runners-up trophy.

Dustin Lapinid of the Sharks wins both the Long Ball Derby and the Pitch Thru Tire contests.

The 2010 ceremonial cake is now just a digested memory.