March 27, 2007 — The Seaborne Stealers blasted the Cartel, 24-5, Monday night to assure themselves of playing at least one more game in the Bob Owen Softball League playoffs.
In the win-or-go-home contest, the defending champs blew a 1-1 ball game wide open in the bottom of the third, then powered their way to a date on Thursday with Claudio Enterprises, the night’s other winner.
The Stealers scored one run on a solo shot by Enrique Soto in the bottom of the first to take the early lead. The Cartel then tied the game in the top of the second on an RBI single by pitcher Troy Lee Ling.
After the Cartel failed to score in the top of the third, the Stealers scored eight big runs to take an 8-1 lead. They would never trail again. The Stealers scored eight runs on a three-run shot by Eustace Davis, a solo shot by Ronald Schjang Jr., a sac fly by Soto, an RBI ground out by Michael Schjang and two runs on Cartel errors.
The Cartel got one run back in the top of the fourth on a solo shot off the bat of Stanley McIntosh to trail 9-2, but the Stealers put the game out of reach in the bottom of the inning, exploding for 14 runs for an insurmountable 23-2 lead after four complete innings. A grand slam home run by Owen Pimentel, a three-run blast by Raymond Cintron, two-run home runs by Soto and Samuel Ramos, an RBI single by Brandon Biggs, a sac fly by Schjang Jr. and a Cartel error accounted for all of the Stealers runs in the inning.
Ramos pitched the win for the Stealers, while Lee Ling got the loss. The Stealers power surge was led by Soto (3-for-4 with two home run and four RBIs), Pimentel (3-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs), and Davis (3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs). For the Cartel, McIntosh was 3-for-3, with a home run and three RBIs; and Joseph Hodge was 3-for-3, with three RBIs.
In the first game of the night, Claudio Enterprises also dominated in another one-sided contest, 16-3, over 40 Caliber. Julio Carmona picked up the win on the mound for Claudio, while Steve Nisky got the loss for 40 Caliber. Carmona helped his own cause at the plate by leading the Claudio offensive onslaught (3-for-4, two home runs and five RBIs), Ariel Gill was (4-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs) and Wilfredo Ferrares was (3-for-4 with a home run and one RBI). For 40 Caliber, Angel Torres was 3-for-3 with a home run and one RBI.