Pacifics Fall to Maui in Championship Game
August 26, 2013 - North American League (NAmL)
San Rafael Pacifics News Release
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - A tightly contested, well-pitched game slipped out of grasp for the San Rafael Pacifics on Sunday as the first-place team in the Pacific Association was upset by the Na Koa Ikaika Maui, 6-1, on Sunday in the Pacific Association Championship.
Kyle Dhanani had the game's first hit in the second but San Rafael (54-21) didn't have another hit until Chase Fontaine's single to right in the sixth inning. Maikel Jova drove home Price Kendall later in the inning to cut Maui's lead to 3-1.
Maui (46-29) starter Jesse Smith, whose team defeated the Vallejo Admirals 8-3 earlier in the day to advance to the Championship game, matched three of the best pitchers in the league - Logan Odom, Kyle DeVore, and Colin Allen - pitch for pitch. Tucker Cordova earned the two-inning save with one-hit ball.
The Pacifics, who ran away in the standings and had first place wrapped up by August 15, entered the game averaging just under 10 hits per game and 6.9 runs per game. Instead, Maui starter Jesse Smith handcuffed the Pacifics' offense to two hits over seven innings of one-run ball.
Odom, who started for San Rafael, tossed six innings and allowed just three hits but also allowed three runs, in part due to three walks and a fit of seven consecutive balls. DeVore entered and struck out four in two innings of work to keep San Rafael within reach. Things crumbled in the ninth though. Allen surrendered a leadoff home run to Brandon Gregorich. A pair of errors did him no favors in the rest of the inning as Maui plated two more runs.
Kendall, who was hit by a pitch and walked, was denied his 100th hit of the season but ended on top in the Pacific Association in average (.339), runs scored (77), doubles (25), and hit by pitch (19), and sac hits (5).
While the loss dampened the season, it was another successful run for the organization, which has brought Marin County its first professional sports team.
Before the game, hometown hero Steve Detwiler's number 15 was retired by the organization. His number hangs above the left field wall, where he patrolled and launched two massive home runs in the Pacific's inaugural game, a 3-1 win, last season.
North American League Stories from August 26, 2013
- Pacifics Fall to Maui in Championship Game - San Rafael Pacifics
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