Dates: May 27-29, 2000

Quarterfinals

RAH Indians [11], Terror [1]

Orioles [6], Valley Angels [5]

Bail/Bonds Trots [16], Rebels [11]

Black Diamonds [10], Go Yard! [6]

Semifinals

RAH Indians [6], Bail/Bonds Trots [5]

Black Diamonds [11], Orioles [5]

Championship Game

Black Diamonds [3]

RAH Indians [12]

Winning Pitcher, Jason Mitchell,

Losing Pitcher, Tighe Curran

HR's -

Jason Mitchell, Indians

Eddie Chavez, Indians

Marc Sherman, Black Diamonds

Memorial Day traditionally means double-headers with the family on a hot, sunny day. But if you finished winning five games over the previous two days, one championship game under the San Fernando Valley sun is enough entertainment for one afternoon.

The Pacific Coast Baseball League held its 2000 Money Tournament over the three-day Memorial Day weekend. Games were played at Cal State LA, College of the Canyons, Masters College, Pierce College, Crystal Springs, Stengel Field and Cal State Northridge. Ten teams took the field in pursuit of the $3,000 cash prize on Saturday, but only two remained by the time Monday rolled around.

The RAH Industries Indians defeated Go Yard!, 22-2, and the California Rebels. 14-10, on Saturday, while the Black Diamonds took out the Orange County Padres, 10-1, and the Already Out Bail/Bonds Trots, 6-1.

On Sunday afternoon, the Indians continued the trend by beating the Southern California Storm, 18-5, and the Terror, 11-1.The Black Diamonds beat Go Yard! twice, by scores of 13-4 and 10-6.

The four victories for each team put them in semi-final play-offs under the lights at Stengel and Cal State LA. The Indians narrowly defeated last years runner up Already Out Bail/Bonds Trots, 6-5 at Stengel, and the Black Diamonds battered the Orioles, 11-5, at CSLA.

The Championship Game was played at Matador Field on Monday morning. With the sun running the mercury up the thermometer and a slight breeze blowing in from right, the setting was perfect. The first inning and a half was uneventful, with Indian hurler Jason Mitchell retiring the first six opposing batters in order and Black Diamond starter Tighe Curran retiring the first three hitters he faced.

Disaster struck in the second inning for the Black Diamonds when, with a runner on first, Curran fielded a come-backer and fired to second base where the second base umpire called the runner safe on the force play. The relay to first was late, and that allowed the runner at second to advance to third. Two errors and six flares later, the Indians were sitting on a comfortable 8-0 lead. Though the benefit of replay was not available, the consensus in the press box and in the stands was that the umpire clearly blew the call.

Eddie Chavez later hit a three-run homer to put the Indians up 11-0, and the money was as good as in the bank. Chavez, the Indians’ DH, finished 2-for-3 with 4 RBI, before being replaced by a pinch hitter.

Jason Mitchell took over from there, removing any sparkle the Black Diamonds may have had before the game started. He gave up a solo home run to Mark Sherman in the sixth inning and allowed only two runs after the score was 11-1. Mitchell, also a switch-hitter batting left-handed, blasted a solo home run to right extending the lead to the eventual final, 12-3.

Mitchell threw a complete game, struck out six batters and went 3-for-5 at the plate and was named Player of the Game.