18-Grip Shield Glory Days

The Palm Beach Rockhounds won the 18AA division championship at the Lantana Sports Complex on Monday, January 19 as the third annual Citrus Classic Wood Bat National Tournament concluded. The Rockhounds held off a late rally by the Susquehanna (PA) Black Sox to win a nailbiter 4-3. That completed an unbeaten weekend for the Rockhounds, who won the championship in one of the two 18AA pools, then advanced to the finals by downing the Chicago River Bandits 11-1 in Sunday night's semifinal matchup. Rockhounds' manager Mike Soulen did a masterful job of recruiting players from other NABA Palm Beach League teams and a former teammate from Southern New Jersey and the combination clicked. The biggest acquisition by the Rockhounds turned out to be Derek Kuryliw who plays for the Palm Beach league's Boynton Red Sox. Kuryliw pitched the complete game victory to earn MVP honors in Monday's championship, but he was a big factor, both on the mound and at the plate throughout the tournament. The Hounds led 4-0 going into the ninth inning of the title game before the Black Sox posted three runs but the game ended on a line drive double play with the potential tying run at first base. The Rockhounds took the lead in the first inning on Bill Golson's run scoring double. They added two more in the second when Jason Alice, another Boynton Red Sox player, smacked a two run single. They added a run in the 8th inning when Dave Carruthers doubled it in. Kuryliw, who was sailing along on a five hit shutout through eight, wilted in the ninth inning, surrendering four hits and three runs but the twin killing ended Susquehanna's last hope. The Rockhounds' 18AA divisional title was the third in the three year history of the tournament for a Palm Beach league team. The Palm Beach Indians and Los Tigres won 18AAA division titles in 2002 and 2003. Los Tigres was not as fortunate this time around as they lost to the PFR Miami Mets 6-1 in the 18AAA title game at the Lantana Sports Complex. The Miamians overcame an early 1-0 deficit with five runs in the fifth inning, then added an insurance tally in the 8th. Los Tigres scored their only run in the first inning when Geraldo Vasquez singled, stole second, moved to third on a ground out and tallied on a perfectly executed squeeze bunt for Juan Perez. After that, Miami's Juan Medina held them scoreless the rest of the way, yielding only five hits and striking out nine. The Mets scored five times in the fifth on a single, passed ball, walk, wild pitch, a throwing error by Vasquez, an RBI hit by Osmany Santana and a three homer by the game's Most Valuable Player, Yosvany Almario, who added a solo shot in the eighth inning. Los Tigres suffered a major setback when star centerfielder Trovin Valdez was ejected in the third inning for unsportsmanlike conduct. Valdez, a former Montreal Expos' farmhand, was tossed when he was called out and banged his helmet in disgust on the called third strike. A Tigres coach was also ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct and shoved home plate umpire Craig Rhodes from behind. He has been banned from all future NABA games. The tournament ended on a losing note for the Dobson Roofing Hurricanes, who were beaten in the 18A division semifinals at Santaluces by the Southcom Mariners (Miami) 6-4. The Brevard ZXB (Zinger Bats) then shut out the Mariners 9-0 in the title clash at Santaluces to complete an unbeaten weekend at 4-0. It was the first appearance in the Citrus Classic for the Brevard team, managed by Brevard NABA League President Chad Johnson whose initial NABA campaign was the recently completed 2003 spring season. Complete results can be found by clicking here: 18AA Results MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2004 18AA CHAMPIONSHIP AT LANTANA SPORTS COMPLEX West Palm Beach Rockhounds 4 Susquehanna Valley (PA) Black Sox 3 Sunday, January 18, 2004 Chicago River Bandits 6 Palm Beach Culvers 4 Tri State Titans 10 Palm Beach Rockies 4 NY Thunderdogs 9 Susquehanna Black Sox 8 Palm Beach Rockhounds 9 St.Pete Red Tide 0 Semifinals Susquehanna Black Sox 17 St.Pete Red Tide 2 Rockhounds 11 Chicago River Bandits 1 Saturday, Jan. 17, 2004 Rockhounds 11 Rockies 6 St. Pete Red Tide 5 Tri State Titans 3 Palm Beach Culvers 7 NY Thunderdogs 3 Susquehanna Black 14 Palm Beach Culvers 6 Chicago River Bandits 5 NY Thunderdogs 5(T) Rockhounds 4 Tri State Titans 2 Susquehanna Black Sox 7 Chi.River Bandits 4 St.Pete Red Tide 9 Rockies 4 18AAA Results MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2004 18AAA CHAMPIONSHIP AT LANTANA SPORTS COMPLEX PFR Miami Mets 6 Los Tigres 1 Sunday, January 18, 2004 Los Tigers 7 Daytona Rangers 5 Prince William Yankees 6 PFR Miami Mets 5 Los Tigres 9 Ft.Lauderdale Superstars 0 (F) PFR Miami Mets 9 Ft.Laud.Superstars 0 (F) Saturday, January 17. 2004 Ft.Laud.Superstars 7 Prince William Yankees 5 PFR Miami Mets 8 Daytona Rangers 3 Los Tigres 2 Prince William Yankees 0 Daytona Rangers 10 Ft.Laud. Superstars 2 PFR Miami Mets 10 Los Tigres 0 18A Results MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2004 18A CHAMPIONSHIP AT SANTALUCES COMPLEX Brevard ZXB 9 Southcom Mariners 0 18A Semifinal at Santaluces Complex Southcom Mariners 6 Dobson Roofing Hurricanes 4 Sunday, January 18, 2004 Brevard ZXB 9 Dobson Roofing Hurricanes 8 Southcom Mariners 15 Medford Ford Mustangs 5 Saturday, January 17, 2004 Brevard ZXB 9 Medford Ford Mustangs 4 Southcom Mariners 4 Hurricanes 3 Dobson roofing Hurricanes 12 Medford Ford 2 Brevard ZXB 7 Southcom Mariners 2