Flyers Top Outlaws in Marathon 18 Inning Contest

August 19, 2006 - Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Chico Outlaws News Release


FULLERTON, CA - The Chico Outlaws and Fullerton Flyers kicked off an important weekend series by making history Friday - in the longest game ever played in the history of the Golden Baseball League, the Flyers pushed a run across in the bottom of the 18th inning to edge the Outlaws 6-5...Fullerton moving within a half-game of the first place Outlaws in the GBL's second half title race.

The game, which took five hours and 21 minutes to complete, eclipsed the GBL record 16-inning contest between Chico and the Long Beach Armada on June 13, 2006. Fullerton jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 1st inning when, with a man aboard, Peanut Williams ripped a homer to right field off Outlaws starting pitcher Nick Singleton. The Outlaws plated a pair in the 4th off Fullerton starter Chris Jakubauskas to knot up the score - Mike Mallory lined a solo homer off the left field scoreboard...Craig Kuzmic followed with a double and came home on Jason Van Meetren's single to center. The game stayed tied until the 7th when Rich Pohle's two-out single knocked in Hector Zamora to put Fullerton back on top...back-to-back singles by Bret Levier and Buddy Morales and a Bobby Gandolfo throwing error allowed Pohle to score the second run of the inning and push the Flyers lead to 4-2. Chico answered back in the 8th - Gandolfo scoring on a double play grounder; then later in the inning Van Meetren doubled home Kuzmic to tie the game at four apiece.

Fullerton had a chance to win in regulation but stranded runners at first and third to force the game into extra innings. The Flyers loaded the bases with one out in the 10th, but Outlaws reliever A.J. Ampi struck out Zamora and Trevor Hall to end the threat. In the top of the 13th Chico would take its only lead of the night when Kuzmic launched a solo homer to right off Flyers reliever Jon Grijalva...but in the bottom of the 13th Fullerton scored the tying run when Outlaws reliever Jake McKinley walked Clemente Bonilla with the bases loaded, forcing home Hall from third base. McKinley set down the next 14 Flyers batters he faced, but in the bottom of the 18th the Flyers loaded the bases with one out. With Robert Anaya on the mound, Garry Templeton II hit a grounder to shortstop...Jesse Kovacs threw home to force John Frazee for the second out, but catcher Kuzmic, trying to throw out Templeton at first to end the inning, bounced the ball into right field. The error allowed Morales to score from second and give Fullerton the marathon series-opening victory.

Todd Gelatka (4-5) - the last of five pitchers used by Fullerton - got credit for the win, with McKinley (0-4) taking the loss for Chico. The Outlaws collected 17 hits, with Kuzmic and Todd Gossage belting out four apiece...Zamore had three of the Flyers 13 hits on the night. With the loss, Chico falls to 20-10 in the second half (42-28 overall) while Fullerton improves to 20-11 (37-34 on the year). Game two of the series is set for Saturday with right-hander Phil Springman (6-1) on the mound for the Outlaws...the Flyers will counter with lefty Robert Mason (1-3). Game time is 6:05pm...hear all the action with Rory Miller on Newstalk 1290 KPAY-AM or on the internet at www.ChicoOutlawsBaseball.com.



Golden Baseball League Stories from August 19, 2006


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