PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Hot Stove Team of the Year Finalists Announced

Published on January 25, 2011 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


FRESNO, CA - Buchanan High School Baseball, Hanford High School Baseball and Liberty (Madera) High School Softball have been nominated as finalists for Hot Stove Team of the Year. The honor, along with four other awards, will be presented at the 50th Anniversary Hot Stove Gala on Thursday, February 3rd at the Fresno Convention Center.

Buchanan Baseball won 10 of its first 11 games on the way to a 29-5 overall record. The Bears, under 2010 Hot Stove Coach of the Year nominee Tom Donald, fought all the way to the CIF Division I title game. There they beat a Clovis West squad that had handed them three losses earlier in the season to secure the Section Championship.

Hanford Baseball opened league play at just 2-5, but caught fire to finish 22-7-1 overall. The Bullpups took a five-game winning streak into the Central Section Playoffs and went on to outscore their first three opponents by a combined total of 28-9. Trailing by four heading to the final inning of the title game, they scored five times to pull off an improbable, come-from-behind victory over top-seeded Clovis North for their second consecutive Division III Championship.

Liberty Softball won its final 15 games of the season, capping off North Sequoia League play a perfect 10-0 for the first time in program history. The Hawks' 26 victories set a single-season school record and included 12 shutouts. Liberty produced the league's MVP for the second straight year, and took home its second consecutive Central Section Division V title, earning the #1 ranking by Cal High Sports for small schools in the state of California.

2011 marks the first year that the Grizzlies have nominated three teams for the award, the winner of which will be chosen at the event. The nominees for Hot Stove Female Player of the Year and Male Player of the Year, as well as the winner of the 2011 Al Radka Award, will be released later this week.

The 50th Anniversary Hot Stove Banquet, presented by Tecate and ABC 30, will also feature Giants legends Will Clark, Matt Williams, Steve Decker and Mark Gardner as well as a visit from the Giants World Champions Trophy. All proceeds from the sold out event benefit the Grizzlies Community Fund. To find out more about the GCF or to make a donation, please call 559.320.4487.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from January 25, 2011


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