Avenue Boyz snatch ORD spring softball title
By Missy Hinks

The Ojai Recreation Department softball leagues were closely matched this season - meaning several tiebreakers were in order.

The Avenue Boyz took the Men's B League by storm, winning both the first-place shirts and the coveted tournament trophy. The Boyz ended the league with a 4-1 record, sweeping past their opponents to snag the top spot. Competitors, Jameson's, took second, with Ojai Optical just a half a game back for third.

In the final tournament game against the Silver Bullets, the Avenue Boyz plated seven runs in the first inning, including a long three run home run by Scooby Villa. The Bullets gained two on a center field home run, leaving them chasing five. In the top of two Boyz, Nate Vera homered in three to go up by eight.

Randy McGraw slammed a sharp left field home run to score three Bullets, in the bottom of three. A.B. Juan Perez homered in the Boyz next two runs to cancel the Bullets' gain. The Bullets made a valiant attempt in the bottom of seven to catch the Boyz, but were left five runs short. The final score was Avenue Boyz 15, Silver Bullets 10.

The C Men's League saw its share of excitement with a dead-even tie between Andria's Seafood and Oak View Outlaws, forcing an international tiebreaker game to be held to determine the leader. The game is started with a runner on second, putting the pressure on the defense. Andria's Dave Allen singled in lead runner Steve Arneson, to plate the first run, only to be put out on a great throw home from the outfield on the next play. Cliff Hiroshima hit a sharp single to right to score both Kevin Rainey, and Jeff Benevidez, for a total of three runs.

For the Oak View Outlaws, Sean Lowry started off big, singling in lead runner, Rick Cruz. A fly ball tallied the first out. Outlaw Cliff Jones walked to put a man on first, while Buddy Luxton hit a sharp line drive up the middle, that seamed through the infield; second baseman Les Hinks snagged the hot line drive, and threw to Don Thompson at first for the double-out to end the tiebreaker 3-1, and take first place in the C division. Pat's Liquor grabbed third, just one game back of the leaders.

After battling through two months of games it came down to a three-way tie for first in the B coed division. Bat Busters, Brue's Body Shop, and Bonnie Lu's resorted to run differential to determine the victor. Bat Busters took the division by 16 runs, with Bonnie Lu's edging out Brue's for second, with a slim one-run difference.

Check out Friday's sports section for coed and church league championship details.

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

Back to sports

Back to the news