Outlaws Bring A Game, Crush Long Beach 17-3
Published on August 24, 2007 under Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Chico Outlaws News Release
CHICO, CA - The Chico Outlaws won for the third straight time on their season-ending homestand, taking advantage of Long Beach's decision to put six pitchers in the starting line-up to post a lopsided 17-3 victory Thursday night at Nettleton Stadium.
Long Beach, who had clinched the Golden Baseball League's second half crown the previous night in Reno, elected to rest the majority of their position players in the series opener with the Outlaws. A preview of the upcoming GBL Championship Series it was not, as first half champion Chico plated 12 runs in the first three innings against the ramshackle Armada line-up. The Outlaws went up 1-0 in the bottom of the 1st when Jesse Kovacs drove a Justin Ramsey offering over the right field wall (it was Kovacs' third homer in three games, all coming in the 1st inning). In the 2nd Chico sent 13 men to the plate, combining six hits, four walks, two errors, a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch to score eight times - both Daniel Nava and Todd Gossage delivered two-run singles...Brock Ungricht had two hits in the inning including an RBI double and Tyler Dean chipped in with a sac fly to put up 9-0. Kirk Gross, normally a third baseman, came in to pitch for Long Beach in the 3rd and thanks to a Craig Kuzmic RBI double and a pair of Long Beach errors, Chico scored three times to extend its lead to 12-0.
A Brandon Thompson solo homer off Outlaws starter Greg Bicknell put the Armada on the board in the 4th inning...then in the 6th Long Beach plated a pair of unearned runs off Chico reliever Paul Wilson to make the score 12-3. But the Armada continued to use their pitchers as position players and vice-versa, and with shortstop Jorge Araiza taking the mound in the 6th, Chico put the game well out of reach - Steve Boggs doubled home Eric Pringle in the 6th to put the Outlaws up 13-3...then in the 7th scored four times, lighting up Araiza with a club record three homers in the inning. Gossage blasted a two-run shot to right...Ungricht followed with his first-ever round-tripper as a pro...and Pringle applied the finishing touches two batters later with a solo blast to right to make the score 17-3. Daniel "Duck" Howard came out of the Chico bullpen and did the rest, retiring Long Beach in order in both the 8th and 9th innings to lock down the victory.
Bicknell (2-1) allowed just one run and struck out nine in five innings to pick up his second straight win since being acquired by the Outlaws...Ramsey (3-4) lasted only two innings and suffered the loss for Long Beach. Chico had 17 hits - Gossage finished the night 3-for-5 with five RBI; Ungricht was also 3-for-5 and drove in three; Kovacs also turned in a 3-for-5 performance; and Pringle was 3-for-4 and scored three times...Thompson and John Kaplan each had two hits to pace the Armada's nine hit attack. Thursday's win - the Outlaws 10th in their last 14 games - improved their second half record to 16-19 and overall mark to 41-32...Long Beach slipped to 25-10 in the second half and 48-25 for the year. Game two of the series is set for Friday with Chico sending left-hander Derrick Loop (8-5) to the mound...Long Beach is expected to start righty Jeff Heaverlo (7-4). Game time is 7:05pm; hear all the action with "The Voice" of the Outlaws, Rory Miller, beginning at 6:35pm on the internet, on SportsFan 101.7 FM ESPN Radio or 1340 KEWE-AM.
Golden Baseball League Stories from August 24, 2007
- Bill Pearce Ball Toss Finals are Tonight - Reno Silver Sox
- Fan Appreciation Night - Reno Silver Sox
- Silver Sox Out-Fly Flyers - Reno Silver Sox
- Outlaws Bring A Game, Crush Long Beach 17-3 - Chico Outlaws
- One Short - Orange County Flyers
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