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 Viper News: Orange County Winter Showdown |
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Tuesday, January 1
Orange County Winter Showdown
Click here for VIPERS game highlights!
The VIPERS traveled to Southern California for the 1st Annual Orange County Winter Showdown. It was a "showcase" tournament featuring 24 teams in two age divisions. The VIPERS, a 15U team, participated in the 16U division. The VIPERS played 4 games and finished with a 2-1-1 record. Saturday, the VIPERS defeated the Southern California Bombers, and the Brea Wildcats. Sunday afternoon, they battled for 7 innings with NorCal White, only to have the game called on time and a tie declared. Monday, the San Jose VIPERS were defeated by the Agoura Vipers. Congratulations VIPERS on a great tournament!
Skills Day - the Vipers were on the field to "showcase" their skills Friday. Infield and outfield drills were run in addition to everyone being timed in the 60.
Vipers vs. Bombers - Game 1 was highlighted by a 1st inning Grand Slam by Kyle Mosbrucker. Tommy Medica got things started with a base hit, Alex Kalogrides and Paul Shively drew walks to load the bases. Mosbrucker then stepped in and crushed a ball to left field, putting the Vipers ahead 4-0. Tommy Renda added an RBI to make it 5-0 Vipers.
In the second inning, Tommy Medica had an RBI double. Paul Shively and Kyle Mosbrucker followed with RBI hits bringing the Vipers run total to 8. Defensively, Vipers catcher Tommy Medica threw out a runner attempting to steal 2nd base, while Tommy Renda made a great catch in leftfield.
The Vipers added 2 runs in the 3rd. Brett Helmonds laid down an RBI sacrifice bunt and Travis Adams brought in a run with an RBI base hit.
In the 4th, David Gonzales made a great catch in rightfield and threw to 2nd for a double play.
The Vipers scored three runs in the 5th. Travis Adams had a base hit. David Abraham scored 2 with a double. Tommy Medica finished the Vipers scoring with an RBI base hit. In the bottom of the 5th there was an outfield collision between centerfielder Kyle Mosbrucker and rightfielder David Gonzales. Both fielders dove for the ball and had a major collision. Mosbrucker came up with the catch and threw to 1st base for a double play. Both players were shaken up but remained in the game.
Pitching for the Vipers were Travis Adams, 2 innings and Dan Dyer, 4 innings.
Vipers vs. Brea Wildcats - In game 2 the Vipers bats were hot. Each of the 11 Vipers present had at least one base hit and one RBI. David Gonzales cracked a 2 RBI double in the 1st inning. David Abraham, Tommy Medica, Dan Dyer, and Tommy Renda had hits in the 1st. Alex Kalogrides, Kyle Mosbrucker, Josh Isais, and Brett Helmonds had RBI hits in the 1st.
In the 2nd inning the ball continued to fly off the bats. Tommy Medica and Alex Kalogrides had base hits. Paul Shively followed with an RBI double. Kyle Mosbrucker had a hit. Josh Isais and Brett Helmonds followed with RBI base hits.
Travis Adams got the Vipers going in the 3rd when he cracked a 2 RBI base hit to centerfield. Tommy Renda followed with a base hit. Josh Isais, Brett Helmonds and Tommy Medica followed with RBI hits.
The hits kept coming in the 4th and 5th innings and the game was called after 5. Pitching a shutout for the Vipers were Paul Shively, (3 innings - 5 K) and Kyle Mosbrucker, (2 innings - 5 K).
Vipers vs. NorCal White - The Sunday afternoon showcase game featured two northern California teams. The Vipers and NorCal White battled to a 7 inning, 4-4, tie. Pitching an outstanding game for the Vipers were Alex Kalogrides and Paul Shively. Alex held NorCal scoreless through 4 striking out 5. Paul struck out 2 and closed out the last 2 innings for the Vipers.
The Vipers got on the board quickly in the 1st. Alex Kalogrides drew a walk. Paul Shively then stepped in a cracked a ball over the fence in left for a 2 run homer. That put the Vipers up 2-0.
In the bottom of the 2nd inning, with a runner on 1st, pitcher Kalogrides got a big K for the Vipers. Vipers catcher Tommy Medica then threw down to 2nd base and nailed the runner attempting to steal on the play.
Vipers pitcher Alex Kalogrides struck out the side in the 3rd inning.
The Vipers put two more runs on the board in the 4th. Tommy Medica led off with a base hit. David Gonzales came in to run for him and stole 2nd base. Alex Kalogrides then had a base hit and on the throw to 3rd he hustled his way to 2nd base. With runners on 2nd and 3rd, Paul Shively scored a run with an RBI sac fly. Kyle Mosbrucker followed with a base hit and Dan Dyer brought in another Vipers run with a sac fly to centerfield.
In the bottom of the 4th, the Vipers infield came up with 3 terrific defensive plays. David Abraham made an awesome stop at 2nd base, and Paul Shively made an excellent stop at shortstop and Dan Dyer came up with a big play at 3rd base to end the inning.
In the 5th, 6th, and 7th innings, the Vipers had runners on base but were unable to score. While Vipers pitcher Paul Shively came up with 2 big K's in the 6th with runners on base and a huge pick off play at 1st base to end the inning.
With the score tied 4-4, the game was called after the completion of the 7th inning due to the tournament time limit rule.
Vipers vs. Agoura - Monday morning the San Jose Vipers met the Agoura Vipers. The Vipers got off to a quick lead once again when David Abraham drew a lead off walk, Tommy Medica got on base with a hit and Paul Shively stepped in to hit a 3 run homerun over the fence in right field.
The Vipers scored 3 more runs in the 2nd. Tommy Renda drew a lead off walk and stole 2nd base. Travis Adams and Josh Isais drew a walks. David Abraham was then hit by a pitch and a Vipers run crossed the plate. Tommy Medica had an RBI sac fly and Alex Kalogrides was hit by a pitch. Paul Shively brought in the 3rd Vipers run in the inning.
Tommy Medica and David Abraham had hits in the 4th. Travis Adams had an RBI base hit in the 5th and Josh Isais brought in the final Vipers run with an RBI double to centerfield.
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