2010 PCBL Mid Week Wood Bat OC Champions

CARDINALS GET BUZZED

 
 
 Led by southpaw Mike Kesten's 3-hit, 12-strike out performance, the Covina  Buzz grounded the #1 seeded Newport Cardinals 4-2 to take the PCBL Summer  Mid-Week title at TeWinkle Park.  The big lefty retired the first 10  Cardinals he faced before Oscar Guzman, Justin Tellan and Ben Leibovitz  put together 3 hits and 2 runs to tie the score at 2 each in the  4th.
 
 
 
Unfortunately, those were only hits Nick Sansano's birds could muster all  night.  After walking 3 men in the 5th, Kesten got out of the bases  loaded jam by striking out Tellan to end the threat.  The Newport gang  put 2 more runners on in the 8th when Kesten hit Tellan and walked Robert  Wasmund before getting Leibovitz on a called strike 3 to end the rally.
 
 

 
Anthony Bautista and Pac Gutierrez came ready to play with a full squad  for the championship showdown.  The Cards sent Chris Antoszak to the bump  with the difficult task of shutting down the potent Buzz-bomb attack which  averaged 9.7 runs per game during the season.  The Stingers finished in  the season in 2nd  place with a 7-3 record, leading the league in  scoring.  Their pitching and defense allowed only 21 run in 10  games leading the circuit in ERA and fewest runs allowed.
 
 
 
The champion Buzz accounted for 7 safeties versus excellent Cardinal  hurlers Antoszak and Chad Clark who together whiffed 10 Buzzers.  Their  fine pitching was tarnished by 4 Cardinal errors leading directly to 3  unearned runs for the Buzz who were lead by leadoff hitter Scotty Patynik who  garnered 3 hits including an RBI double, stole 2 bases and played  flawlessly at short.
 
 
 
Buzz right fielder Sam Goreil scorched 2 hits and scored the go ahead run  after a 6th inning two bagger.  Playing manager Bautista had an RBI  single in the 4th.
 
 
 
The story all night was pitching.  Antoszak allowed 1 earned run in  6 innings while striking out 4.  He was relieved by Chad Clark who went 3  scoreless innings striking out 6.  On the Buzz side of the ledger, Kesten  was in the driver seat all night.  All 3 hits he allowed were in the 4th  and accounted for both Cardinal runs.  He was able to escape unscathed  after walking 3 in the 5th and putting 2 on in the 8 with a base on balls and  hit batsman.  Both times he ended the Redbird rally with a  strike out..
 
 
 
The champagne was flowing while camera flashed in front of the Covina  dugout after the game.  The Cards were disappointed but not dejected and  vowed to be back after the Buzz in the Fall Mid-Week League which opens  Monday, November 15 at TeWinkle Park in Costa Mesa.
 
 
 
Congratulations to a total team victory by the Covina Buzz.  PCBL is  proud of both teams and their ever present competitiveness and hard  work.  Both of these ball clubs exhibited excellent sportsmanship and  highly competitive play.   They met for all the marbles and put on a  game enjoyed by all in attendance and anyone who loves baseball.
 
 
 
Congrats to both managers and their ball clubs for excellent  campaigns.